LIBRARY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
RECEIVED BY EXCHANGE
Class
CONTRIBUTIONS TO ORIENTAL HISTORY AND PHILOLOGY
No. IV
THE WITNESS
OF THE
VULGATE, PESHITTA AND SEPTUAGINT
TO THE
TEXT OF ZEPHANIAH
BY
SIDNEY ZANDSTRA
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, IN THE FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
NEW YORK
1909
THE WITNESS
OF THE
VULGATE, PESHITTA AND SEPTUAGINT
TO THE
TEXT OF ZEPHANIAH
CONTRIBUTIONS TO ORIENTAL HISTORY AND PHILOLOGY
No. IV
THE WITNESS
OF THE
YULGATE, PESHITTA AND SEPTUAGINT
TO THE
TEXT OF ZEPHANIAH
BY
SIDNEY ZANDSTRA
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, IN THE FACULTY OF PHILOSOPHY
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY
OF
NEW YORK
1909
Copyright, 1909
BY THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PEESS
Printed from type. Published May, 1909
THE TUTTLE, MOREHOU6E A TAYLOR COMPANY.
NOTE.
No complete examination of the relation of the chief Versions
of the Old Testament to the original Hebrew has been made with
especial reference to the Book of Zephaniah. Dr. Zandstra has
in the following Essay supplied this want with much care and
discretion.
RICHARD GOTTHEIL.
May 20th, 1909.
205723
CONTENTS.
Chapter
Introduction,
I. The Vulgate,
II. The Peshitta,
III. The Septuagint, -
IV. The Interdependence of the. Versions,
- 1-6
- 6-17
- 18-24
- 24-35
- 35-38
V. Departures from Massoretic Tradition and Variants
from Consonantal Text, - 38-45
VI. Conclusion, - - 45-47
Appendix I. Difficulties in the Hebrew Text, - 47—49
Appendix II. Conjectural and Higher Criticism of the
Text, - 49-52
INTRODUCTION.
§ I. It is proposed in the following pages to study the text of
Zephaniah in the light of the ancient primary versions. This
study was undertaken largely to become familiar with Old Testa-
ment Criticism— a field of which it is peculiarly true that orien-
tation is possible only at first hand. The choice of so short a
text is vindicated by the almost unanimous verdict of scholars
that the work of the translators of these versions is very uneven
in quality. It is in fact still a moot question whether the Minor
Prophets were translated into Greek by one individual or by
many ; and the arguments that have been advanced1 to show that
the Peshitta is not really a deliberate translation, but rather the
final stereotyped form that traditional renderings of various
origins assumed, have never been satisfactorily met. The reasons
for the choice of this particular text are two. (a.) Though the
Hebrew of Zephaniah presents many difficulties, no complete
study of its text corresponding to such work as has been done on
Micah by Ryssel2 seems ever to have been made, (b.) In critical
commentaries it always occupies a subordinate place among the
Minor Prophets, and in textual studies it is entirely overshadowed
by the more important books of the division of the Canon to
which it belongs.3 This neglect, whatever its explanation may
be, makes Zephaniah a good choice for a textual study. As it
would be fatal presumption for one to ignore the work of prede-
cessors, whether it bore directly or indirectly on one's theme, it
1 Perles, Meletemata Peschittoniana, 1859, p. 48.
a Ryssel, Untersuchungen uber die Textgestalt und die Echtheit des Buches Micha,
1887.
aSchwally's Das Such Zephanja, Z.A.T.W. (1885), pp. 183 ff., is the only separate
commentary outside of the well-known English and German critical series accessible to
the general student. Bachmann has written specifically about the text of Zephaniah in
an article entitled Zur Textkritik des Propheten Zephanja, S.K. (1894) ; his article is,
however, but a statement of conclusions, and it is characterized by a most reckless spirit
of conjecture. Here and there a brief note on some proposed emendation is to be
found ; cf. Z.A.T.W. (1885), pp. 183 ff. and Z.A.T.W. (1891), pp. 185 f., 260 ff.
2 The Text of Zephaniah.
goes almost without saying that all available sources of informa-
tion have been carefully examined and freely laid under tribute.
That which is presented, while based on original investigation,
has thus also of necessity the virtue of being a more or less com
plete digest of the work of others.1
§ II. Because Old Testament Criticism is still for many reasons
a wilderness through which each one must in large part blaze his
own trail, it seems necessary to preface the statement of the
method chosen in this examination by some more general remarks
that shall not only explain it, but also justify its use.
(A.) The thesis that all extant Hebrew sources for the text of
the Old Testament, both in manuscript and in print, go back to
a first century archetype, was first advanced by Lagarde in 1863.
The chief supports of this thesis are the remarkable uniformity
that is found in the manuscripts on the one hand, and the sup-
posedly large number of corruptions in the text on the other.
These two phenomena are mutually exclusive in an ancient docu-
ment that has been accurately transmitted from its autograph,
and their conjunction in this case is said to demand a comparatively
late date for the common source to which all manuscripts and
printed editions converge. The date of this hypothetical archetype
is fixed in the first century by certain external characteristics
that the text presents and by known facts in Jewish History.3
Strack, who about thirty years ago could pass over this view in
silence,3 states in his article on the Text of the Old Testament in
1 A bibliography has not been prepared because complete lists of the literature that
must be consulted abound. Berger (Histoire de la Vulgate pendant les premiers
siecles du moyen dge), Swete (The Old Testament in Greek) and Nestle (Urtext und
Ubersetzungen der Bibel, reprinted in the Real-Encyclop'adie fur protest. Theologie
und Kirche) are practically exhaustive as far as the general literature is concerned.
To the commentaries mentioned in Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (article Zephaniah)
those of Marti and Driver must be added ; in the miscellaneous literature Ehrlich
(Mikrd Ki-Pheschut6, III, pp. 456-463) may well be included. This last work is written
in Hebrew, but a German translation of the passages discussed is given.
2 In a few characteristic paragraphs (Symmicta, II, pp. 120, 121), intended primarily
to show that this thesis was entirely original with himself, Lagarde incidentally gives a
brief account of how it had been received by scholars up to 1880. It appears that Ols-
hausen had independently reached a very similar view through a different process of
reasoning. Cf, further Swete, Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek, pp. 313-320 ;
W. R. Smith, Old Testament in the Jewish Church, p. 56 ; Driver, Notes on the Hebrew
Text of Samuel, pp. xxxix ff.
8 Lagarde, Symmicta, II, p. 120.
Introduction. 3
Hastings1 Dictionary of the jBible that it is accepted by most
moderns. He himself does not accept it, but holds that the cus-
tom of consigning manuscripts that had been damaged by the
tooth of time, by fire, or by water, or that were found to contain
more than a certain number of mistakes, to the so-called genizah,
which was generally a room in the cellar of a synagogue, is suffi-
cient to explain all the1 phenomena. This thesis, whether true or
not, offers striking proof that the present Hebrew text gives but
scant aid in tracing its own history beyond a certain point, or in
fixing its earliest form. Moreover, there are but few manuscripts,
of which none are very old, and textual types — the chief material
for the criticism of texts — are thus not to be found.1 But it is a
cardinal principle of criticism that to recover the true text of an
ancient document it is first necessary to know its history ; and
that manuscripts, although the text which they contain is undated
and unlocalized, generally furnish the primary data for reconstruct-
ing this history with the help of versions, which serve in a sec-
ondary capacity to fix the time and place of origin of the differ-
ent textual types that the manuscripts present. In the Old Tes-
tament, however, there are no types of text in regard to which
versions can be made to indicate a choice, but they themselves
become the principal data. Instead of being called on to show
from which particular type of two or more existing types it was
made, a version must surrender the text on which it was based,
in order that it may then be decided whether that text agrees
with or differs from the single Hebrew textual type. Because a
version must thus itself yield the text from which it was made,
Old Testament Criticism is complicated by all the variable factors
necessarily connected with translation and translators.
(B.) Languages are for the most part so different in genius that
translation from one into another is often impossible without theft
1 Ginsburg's new ' Edition of the Hebrew Bible according to the Massoretic Text of
Jacob Ben Chayim ' (British and Foreign Bible Society, August, 1908) contains the results
of a collation of 71 manuscripts and 19 early printed editions. The editor has presuma-
bly used everything that seemed worth using in this latest edition and yet there are at
most but 27 manuscripts and 9 early printed editions of the Prophets cited. The earliest
of the manuscripts is dated 916 A. D. Although sixth century dates have been defended
for certain manuscripts, that of the Pentateuch from circa 820-850 (Or. 4445) and the
Karaite synagogue manuscript of the Latter Prophets, 'written 827 years after the destruc-
tion of the Temple,' i. e., 895 A. D., are generally regarded as the oldest.
4 The Text of Zephaniah.
from the thought of the first or assault upon the idiom of the
second. The vagaries of translators are also all but incalculable.
In testing one's retranslation of a reading the dividing line
between the necessary use of the Hebrew text for guidance and
prejudicial dependence upon it is hard to locate. Because he
cannot entirely penetrate the structural difference of the two
dead languages, the critic is inclined to find variants where none
exist ; and in obvious disagreements he is apt to make too little
allowance for the translator whose mental processes he cannot
sufficiently follow, and whose knowledge and ability he cannot
accurately gauge. Enough has been said to show that the
"peculiarities of each translator, the character of his translation,
and the knowledge of both languages displayed " by him — infor-
mation in regard to these matters can of course be gained only by
comparisons both within and beyond the limits of the book being
studied1 — are determining factors in the evaluation of his version.
It is also evident that the large factor of ignorance by which the
critic is necessarily handicapped establishes in all doubtful cases a
strong presumption in favor of the agreement of the current
Hebrew with the source of a version.2
(C.) The necessity of freeing the text of each version from
inner corruptions by tracing it as far back as possible is patent.
Neither the Vulgate, Peshitta nor Septuagint can, however, be
carried back to the time of their origin,3 and it is therefore neces-
sary to seek such help as early quotations can give. The mutual
relation of the versions has an important bearing on their value
as witnesses, and consequently the presence or absence of inter-
dependence must be established.
1 In the case of the Septuagint these comparisons are much facilitated by the excel-
lent concordances available, but with the Peshitta the work is most difficult because of
the lack of these helps. Dutripon's Concordantiae Bibliorum Sacrorum Vulgatae
Editionis can be used with great advantage together with a Hebrew concordance.
2 Of the three equations Version <: Massoretic Text, Version = Massoretic Text and
Version > Massoretic Text, the possibilities of the second must be exhausted before the
others can present themselves. Ryssel assumed that the Massoretic Text was preferable
to the Septuagint ; Frankel tried always to make the Massoretic Text equal the Septua-
gint ; Streane held that the Septuagint was better than the Massoretic Text (cf. Stek-
hoven, De Alexaandrijnsche Vertaling van het Dodekaprofeton, p. 121; Hastings'
Dictionary of the Bible, IV, p. 731b). Frankel's results are therefore in so far forth the
most dependable.
8 It is not definitely known when the Septuagint and the Peshitta originated ; and
although Jerome translated Zephaniah about 393 A. D., the date of the manuscripts used
by him is unknown.
Introduction. 5
§ III. The method of procedure adopted in the present inquiry
is based on the above considerations. The history of the versions
has been separately discussed to locate and establish the best
obtainable text of Zephaniah in each. The equivalents, which are
obviously due to the character of the translation or to linguistic
necessity, and those which must, because of the absence of evi-
dence to the contrary, be ascribed to the characteristics or nuances
of the translator, have been grouped together, and for the Vul-
gate presented in a summary, for the Peshitta and Septuagint
exhibited in toto. The question of interdependence has been
considered, and such readings as have demanded individual con-
sideration have been discussed. Thus the versions have been
summoned to show cause why they should be regarded as aids in
the criticism of the text of Zephaniah, and not rather as worthy
monuments of ancient interpretation. Whether they vindicate
their value for criticism or not, they can help to fix the history
of the Hebrew text only to the time when the earliest of them
was made. Beyond this point, if the text obtained does not
commend itself as a true copy of the autograph, external criti-
cism by the help of translations must yield to Conjectural Criti-
cism. A tree only the top of which is visible above some obstruc-
tion illustrates quite accurately what can be known of the text of
Zephaniah. The angles of convergence must indicate where the
continuation of the trunk is, and where branches and trunk join.
The present investigation thus resolves itself into a test of the
Hebrew transmission at three points, the exact location of which
is unknown. This somewhat anticipatory statement has, it is
hoped, outlined with sufficient clearness the general trend of the
discussion and vindicated the method employed.
§ IV. The little that the Hebrew text in editions and manu-
scripts offers may be at once presented.1 I1 rvpm — R. JTpSn , cf.
Peshitta; pDK — R. j'DK, due to the accidental joining of the
strokes for i and final j . I4 iKtf — K. (3 MSS.) Dtf, cf. Septua-
gint. run — R. Kim, error due to the forgetfulness of a scribe
who carried his copy in his memory from clause to clause ; n« —
i Kittel's text is used as a basis ; B. = Baer and Delitzsch ; G. =Ginsburg (not his latest
edition of 1908); T. = Thiele; W. = Walton's Polyglot; M. = Massoretic Notes; R. = De
Rossi's Collations ; K. = Kennicott's Collations as cited by R.
6 The Text of Zephaniah.
R. n&O , to avoid possible confusion due to asyndeton. I6 r\UJ —
R. rnu, error of vision. I6 i#p:j — G. B. wpi . I8 ontfn by — R.
ontyn SD Sy , error of memory, cf. I4. I12 r\^3 — R. DV3 , cf. Septu-
agint. I16 D^y — R. D^n , error of hearing, frequent with gut-
turals. 21 itfKnpnn — B. nstehpnn. 22 p;j — T. W. -pnD; D-\DU
clause (3) omitted, R. (6 MSS.), K. (8 MSS.), homoioteleuton.
24 niEhr — B. mtfnr . 27 onntf — M. orratf (G. does not point this
word). 29 SU — R. DTI, error of memory, cf. I4; OITT — W. DN3\
212 '3in— R. mn, cf. Peshitta. 214 n«p_ B. n«p; ^D3— M. ^D3.
2161T — M. iiyKi, odd expression, occurring here only, changed to the
usual one. 31 runiD — G. B. ntnn . 32 x1? — R. xbi , cf. I4; ^K —
R. SKI, cf. I4. 34 D^ma— T. o-mia. 39 naj;1?— R. na^Si , cf. I4.
310 ^ia rn omitted, R. (IMS.), K. (1 MS.), cf. Septuagint and
Peshitta. 314 T?jn — B. '•iSjji . 315 p-K — R. ^K, error of memory,
cf. I4 ; <Kvn— M. R. K. ^-in; ;n— B. G. ^. 318 ^y— M. R.
!j^^ , decision must be arbitrary, cf. Peshitta and the Revised Ver-
sion. 320 D^ry1?— R. M. orrr/7, cf. 318.
The printed texts from Walton to Kittel are identical except
in a few pointings and matres lectionis. The sporadic readings
in the collations are either due to the versions or are explainable as
common corruptions in manuscript transmission. Other explana-
tions than those given above may be equally satisfactory ; but the
true reading is nowhere in doubt, as each variant has the support
of only a few manuscripts at most. It is evident that the arche-
type of the manuscripts and printed texts here represented has
been transmitted with remarkable accuracy.
CHAPTEE I.
THE VULGATE.
§ 1. The history of Jerome's translation may be divided into
three epochs of unequal length, the first and second each cul-
minating in an important recension of the text, the third con-
tinuing into the present. The first period is one of conflict
between it and the Old Latin which it was meant to supersede.
The new translation met with violent opposition from many
quarters, and its introduction was therefore very gradual. The
The Vulgate. 7
fact that the older version persisted and the method by which a
text had to be transmitted conspired together to rob Jerome's
translation of its purity in this conflict of almost four centuries.
It could conquer the older version only by absorbing many of its
characteristics, while every copy that was made both transmitted
and increased errors. The power of the Church was being more
and more concentrated and its influence so extended that it was
gradually becoming the dominant force in Western Europe ; but
the authority of the^ Bible, which was the foundation on which
the whole structure of the ecclesiastical hierarchy was felt to rest,
was being dissipated more and more, because hardly two copies
of it were in agreement. A supreme papacy needed an official
text, and it remained for Charlemagne, who was actuated mainly
by liturgical motives, to establish one by means of the recension
undertaken at his behest by Alcuin. Theodulf (f 821) made an
independent recension at about the same time. The Vulgate
which was thus established doubtless differed in many important
particulars from Jerome's autograph, but unfortunately very little
is known of the history of the text during these centuries of con-
flict; and the students of Latin Bible texts are consequently
unable with any degree of fulness to trace out the process by
which the Carolingian Vulgate was evolved. The verses quoted
by the church fathers of the period and the few incidental
remarks scattered here and there through the pages of their
writings throw but a feeble light into the darkness, which begins
to lift only in the last century (VIII).
§ II. Toward the close of this epoch and in the next the Vul-
gate takes higher and higher rank. Wherever the Church goes,
it goes as the official version of the Word of God, while Latin
becomes everywhere the language of worship. The artificial
unity of language thus established was a powerful factor in build-
ing up an ecclesiastical sovereignty that practically obliterated
national boundaries. The Hildebrandian Papacy had been all
but impossible without the Vulgate, which had for many centuries,
first through use in missionary propaganda, and then in the litur-
gies and lectionaries of worship, been welding together the
diverse elements of which it was composed. The torch of learn-
ing, though it burned most dimly, was borne along by the Church
8 The Text of Zephaniah.
alone during this dark period; and the only text-book in most
curricula was the Vulgate. Copies were multiplied with great
rapidity in the schools and monasteries. Again, as was inevita-
ble, the text became so corrupt that many recensions were made.
These sporadic attempts could, however, bring about no perma-
nent improvement, because manuscripts were so widely distributed
that concerted effort was impossible, while the scribes' choice of
exemplars to copy was controlled by the flimsiest critical princi-
ples, if by any.1 Even the early printed editions were for the
most part set up from such manuscripts as were near at hand. It
remained for the Council of Trent to suggest the remedy that
the discovery of printing had made possible, and the Sixtine-
Clementine edition is the result of a decree passed by that body.
With but few exceptions the 8000 extant manuscripts of the
Vulgate belong to this period. The text to be found in them is
almost uniformly corrupt.
§111. The third period of the Vulgate's history begins with
the Clementine text of 1592. It is still the official text of the
Vatican. Many reprints of it have been made ; but no edition,
embracing the results of the latest discoveries and based on
approved critical methods, has yet appeared, at least not for the
Old Testament. Heyse and Tischendorf's pretentious Biblia
Sacra Lat. Vet. Test. Hieronymo interprete (1873) is practically
identical with Bagster's cheap reprint.2 The Latin column of
Funk and Wagnall's popular Hexapla Bible (1906) differs only
in a few punctuations from the de luxe edition, Biblia Sacra Vul-
gata (Critice edidit P. M. Helzenover, 1906), in which at least
one misprint has escaped the proofreader.3 Vercellone's Sacra
Vulgatae Editionis Sixti V et Clementis VIII (Rome, 1861) is
generally regarded as the best.4
1 Cf. Berger, Histoire de la Vulgate pendant les premiers siecles du moyen dge,
Paris, 1893, pp. 329, 330.
2 The differences between them in Zephaniah are as follows, Bagster's text being the
first cited; I3"5 Coeli—caeli, 22<a Domini— Dm, 26 speciosam—Speciosam, 314 lauda,—
lauda, jubila,— jubila, corde, — corde. 31' nolitimere — noli timer e. 3ig fuerat,—fuerat.
3 3" Adijcies for adjicies.
* Now and again more or less extensive excursions have been made into the field of
the textual criticism of the Vulgate Old Testament, but on the whole it is still an unex-
plored domain. Berger, in the introduction to the work already mentioned, gives a very
satisfactory sketch of what has been accomplished both in the Old and New Testaments.
The book itself takes rank as a classic in Vulgate studies and contains a complete bibli-
ography.
The Vulgate. 9
§IV. The Vulgate manuscripts must be considered in their
geographical distribution; for three main types of texts, kept
more or less distinct from each other by natural boundaries, are
clearly defined. Ireland and Spain because of their location both
remained for the most part isolated from the rest of Europe.
The Vulgate text, which was early taken to these countries, was
thus kept separated from the main continental current of trans-
mission. As the purity of a text is, generally speaking, inversely
proportioned to the number of times it has been copied, the rate
of corruption of manuscripts was much less rapid in Ireland and
Spain than elsewhere. But Irish missionaries and Irish monks
kept carrying the Irish text to different parts of the continent ;
and in the first year of the ninth century the Alcuin recension
brought the Irish type of text back into the main stream of trans-
mission, for he is known to have sent to York for manuscripts to
be used in his work. 1 Theodulf seems to have been familiar with
the manuscripts in use in the South of France, and his collations
may have brought into the main current many characteristic
Spanish readings. In the Clementine text these three types are
blended, for manuscripts from many places were collated for it.
As compared with each other, the pure Irish type is much better
than the pure Spanish. The known national characteristics of
the two peoples lead to the inference that Irish manuscripts
would be less ornamental and more accurate, and this is confirmed
by all that is known of the types.
§ V. It is clear from what has been said that a comparison of
manuscripts of these three types will yield the earliest obtainable
text. The Codex Amiatinus is earlier than the Alcuin recension,2
and the Codex Toletanus antedates Theodulf.3 For the conti-
nental type, in lieu of anything better, the Clementine must needs
be used. The results of such a comparison for Zephaniah are as
follows:4 I1 Sophoniam filium Chusi. — A. Sofoniam filium Cusi
1 Jaffe, Monumenta Alcuiniana, p. 346.
3 A very interesting account of how the age of this, the best of the Irish manuscripts,
was finally fixed is to be found in Studio, Biblica et Ecclesiastica, Oxford, 1890, II, pp.
273 ff.
3 A description of these manuscripts may be found in Berger's Histoire de la Vulgate^
etc., pp. 37 f. and pp. 12 f.
* The Clementine text is used as a basis. A=Amiatinus; T.=Toletanus. The collation
of A. is taken from Heyse and Tischendorf s apparatus ; that of T. from Migne's Patrolo-
ffia Latina, XXIX, p. 1027. Italics have been used to indicate the readings which
deserve the preference. Where more definite criteria fail (cf. 214), It is necessary, since
relative values have not yet been fixed, to decide by simple majority rule. Readings
that are evidently corruptions have been marked as such.
10 The Text of Zephaniah.
(Jerome is known to have aspirated the Begadkefat ; cf . Lagarde's
Onomastica, index), filii Godaliae — A. T. filium Godaliae (this
is perhaps an Old Latin reading as it agrees with the Septuagint).
ftlii Amariae filii — T. filium Amariae filium (the sense demands
the genitive). Hheciae — A. Ezechiae (p was not aspirated by
Jerome in transliteration ; cf . Lagarde's Onomastica, index) . Amon
— A. Ammon. Judae — T. Juda. I3 volatilia — A. T. volatile. I6
super omnem — A. omnem. omnem .... qui ingreditur — T.
omnes .... qui ingrediuntur. I11 Pilae — T. filiae (corruption).
disperierunt — T. dispergerunt (corruption). I^faecibus — A. feci-
bus (spelled foecibus, Jer. 48"; the spelling fex is allowable; cf.
Harper '« Latin Dictionary , p. 744). faciet — A. faciat (corruption).
I14 Juxta est — A. Juxta et (corruption). I17 corpora — A. corpus.
I18 faciet cunctis — T. faciet Dominus cunctis (interpretative addi-
tion, suggested perhaps by I12). 22 super vos ira — A. ira; ante-
quam clause (2) omitted — T. (This may be Old Latin, cf. p. 31.)
Indignationis — A. furoris (in the Liber de Divinis Scripturis
sive Speculum, XVI, De Libro Sophoniae, this same variant
occurs in an evident Vulgate text, and therefore the reading of
A. is to be adopted). 2s qui — T. quia (corruption). 2B Philisthino-
rum — A. Philistinorum (cf. I1), inhabitator— T. habitator. 2'
pecorum — T. ovium (this may be Old Latin). 27 remanserit — A.
manserit. 2H quae — T. qui (corruption). 29 Gomorrha — A. Gomorra
(cf. I1), in aeternum — T. in sempiternum (this may be another
Old Latin reading), eoset . . . . illos — A. T. illos . . . . illos (the
agreement of A. and T. is hard to explain unless they represent
the Old Latin ; the Septuagint has avroi>s K<U avrovs, thus
the agreement with it is only partial). 211 viri — A. T. vir (in a
quotation, evidently made from memory, Augustine has vir with
adorabit. He seems to have changed the number of the verb to
turn this Hebraism into intelligible Latin, whereas the Clemen-
tine text has changed the number of the noun). 212 et vos Aethi-
opes — T. et vos et Aethiopes (dittography). 213 Speciosam — A.
T. Speciosa (Jerome's translation of Nineveh is hardly intelligible
in Latin, and the unusual fern. sing. adj. was early corrupted into
the ordinary neut. plu.). 214 quoniam — T. quum. 215 civitas glori-
osa — A. gloriosa civitas (accidental inversion). 32 confisa — T.
confixa (corruption), appropinquavit — A. adpropiavit (corrup-
The Vulgate. 11
tion). 35 mane mane — A. T. mane (homoioteleutonic omission;
or perhaps better, the Hebraism was early removed), lucem — A.
luce (corruption). 36 disperdidi — A. disperdi, T. disperdit (cor-
ruptions), neque ullo — A. nee ullo. 37 dixi attamen — A. dixit
tamen (corruption), suscipies — T. suscipe (as timebis was read,
suscipe must be a corruption). 3s et effundam — A. T. ut effun-
dam (the reading ut may be accepted, not only because it is sup-
ported by these two ancient manuscripts, but because it brings
out the meaning of the Hebrew better; per se a corruption is
possible either way ; the Old Latin has et). indignationem — T.
oninem indignationem (dittography due to following omnem).
39 invocent — A. T. vocent. 313 mendacium et non — T. menda-
cium non (accidental omission). 3H Jubila — A. Jubilate (inter-
pretative with Israel in distributive sense). 317 salvabit — T.
salvabit te (perhaps due to Old Latin influence; cf. Septuagint).
exsultabit — T. et exsultabit (cf. Septuagint; more likely, how-
ever, an ordinary sporadic reading). 319 earn quae ejecta fuerat
— T. ea quae electa fuerant (corruption). 320 tempore quo con-
gregabo — T. tempore congregabo (monograph y).
§ VI. Since the distance of the text now established from the
autograph must still be measured in centuries, many Old Latin
elements that crept in after Jerome had finished his work may be
contained in it. The Spanish text as a whole is known to betray
an especially strong Old Latin influence, and perhaps the syno-
nyms of T. in 27> 8, as well as other readings peculiar to this man-
uscript (317), come from this source. The Old Latin of Zephaniah
has not survived,1 and consequently it cannot be directly deter-
mined how much of it, if anything, has passed into the Vulgate
either originally through Jerome himself, who sometimes con-
sciously, and perhaps more often unconsciously, incorporated its
readings, or through subsequent confusions due to their transmis-
sion side by side. In the belief that they would be of interest,
and, perhaps, even of importance in this connection, a collection
of quotations from the early Latin Fathers was made.3 It was
1 There seems to be a manuscript in the Vatican which contains the last eight verses of
the Old Latin of Zephaniah ; cf. Swete, Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek,
p. 97.
2 After the collection was completed it was found that a similar collection had already
been published ; cf. Journal of Theological Studies, 1903, p. 76. The results of these
two independent examinations are in substantial agreement.
12 The Text of Zephaniah.
rather disappointing to find that only a few of the Latin ecclesi-
astical writers before the middle of the fifth century were cited
in the critical editions of their works as having referred to
Zephaniah. In Tertullian only an allusion to the dies irae was
to be found. A single clause occurs in Nolan us:
lllb JExterminati sunt omnes qui exultati fuerant auro et
argento.
Vulgate: disperierunt omnes involuti argento. This can be
regarded only as an expansive allusion to Zephaniah. Cassian
quotes a clause, the thought of which is of such a nature that
divergence in its expression is practically impossible except in
particles :
I12b Qui dicunt in cordibus suis, non faciet Dominus bene, sed
neque faciet male.
Vulgate: Qui dicunt in cordibus suis : non faciet bene domi-
nus, et non faciet male.
More than a third of the book can be recovered from Cyprian,
Augustine and Tyconius.1 For the purposes of comparison that
which seems to be genuine Old Latin has been here placed
between the Vulgate and the Septuagint.
1 The Liber de Divinis Scripturis sive Speculum is here regarded as the work of
Augustine, to whom it is attributed by its editor for the Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasti-
corum Latinorum, Vienna Academy. It is, however, by many attributed to an unknown
author. Augustine's capriciousness in quotation is abundantly sustained. His text
agrees with that of the Vulgate in five passages, I4h.7a- nbt 2i-3, ssa-ia-isa. FOr 21.3 and 312
he has also quoted the Old Latin. His two quotations of 211 are so mingled that he
must have quoted from memory in both cases.
Augustine (1). Praevalebit dominus adversus eos et exterminabit omnes deos gen-
tium terrae, et adorabunt eum unus quisque de loco suo, omnes insulae gentium.
Augustine (2). Horribilis Dominus super eos, et exterminabit omnes deos terrae, et
adorabit eum vir de loco suo, omnes insulae gentium.
Vulgate. Horribilis Dominus super eos, et attenuabit omnes deos terrae; et adora-
bunt eum vir de loco suo, omnes insulae Gentium.
The Vulgate.
13
VULGATE.
(I8'3) Congregans congre-
gabo omnia a facie terrae,
dicit Dominus : Congregans
hoininem, et pecus, congre-
gans volatile eoeli, et pisces
marls : et disperdam
homines a facie terrae
(P) Silete a facie Domini Dei :
quia juxta est dies Domini
quia praeparavit Dominus
hostiam, sanctificavit voca-
tos suos. (lllb) Disperierunt
omnes i n v o 1 u t i argento.
(list- i4a) Aedificabunt domos,
etnon habitabunt: et planta-
bunt vineas, et non bibent
vinum earum. Juxta est dies
Domini magnus. (I14b-16) Vox
die! Domini amara, tribula-
bitur ibi fortis. Dies irae
dies ilia, dies tribulationis
et angustiae, dies calamitatis
et miseriae, dies tenebrarum
et caliginis, dies nebulae et
turbinis, dies tubae et clan-
goris super civitates munitas,
et super angulos excelsos.
(Ii7b- isa) Et effundetur san-
guis eorum sicut humus, et
corpora eorum sicut stercora.
Sed et argentum eorum, et
aurum eorum non poterit
liberare eos in die irae Dom-
ini. (2i-8) Convenite, congre-
gamini gens non amabilis:
Priusquam pariat jussio quasi
pulverem transeuntem diem,
antequam veniat
super vos dies furoris Dom-
ini. Quaerite Dominum,
OLD LATIN.
(!»•«, Cyprian) Defectlone
deticiat a facie terrae dicit
Dominus, deficiat homo et
pecudes, deficiant volucres
caeli et pisces marls et au-
feram iniquos a facie terrae.
(V, Cyprian) Metuite a facie
Domini Dei, quoniam prope
est dies ejus; quia paravit
Dominus sacriflcium suum,
sanctificavit vocatos suos.
(lllb, Speculum) Disperierunt
omnes qui exaltantur in
argento [et auro]. (l»b. "»,
Cyprian) Aedificabunt domos
et non inhabitabunt, et insti-
tuent vineas et non bibent
vinum earum, quia prope est
dies Domini, (li^-is, Specu-
lum) Vox diei domini amara
et dura constituta, dies po-
tens, dies iracundiae dies ille,
dies tribulationis et necessi-
tatis, dies infelicitatis et ex-
terminii, dies tenebrarum et
tempestatis, dies nubis et cali-
ginis, dies tubae et clamoris
super civitates firmas et super
angulos excelsos. (I17b> 18a,
Speculum) Et effundam san-
guinem eorum sicut limum,
et carnes eorum sicut stercus1
bourn et argentum et aurum
eorum non poterit liberare
eos in die irae domini.
(2i-3, Speculum) Convenite
et congregamini populus in-
disciplinatus, priusquam
emciamini sicut flos prae-
teriens priusquam super-
veniat super vos dies iracun-
diae domini. Quaerite dom-
SEPTUAGINT.
1 stercora in another place.
dirb Trpoff&irov rijs 7775,
Kvpios. 'ExXiTT^Tw avdp(t)iros
Kal KTT?)Vr) ^XlTT^TW TO. 7TC-
Teivd TOV ovpavov Kal ol
TTJS da\d<ro"rjs ' . . . . Kal
TOVS dv6fwvs dirb irpo-
XT)? yijs .... (!')
atrb irpoffdirov
TOU 0eou ' 5i6rt ^771)5 17
-rj/ji^pa TOU Kup/ou, 8ri ^r
Kf TOI>S K\r}TOVS O.VTOJ. (lllb)
.... ££(i}\o0p€ti0Trjffa,v Trdvres ol
dpyvpiy. (Ii3b.i4a)
Kal ov /j.
avrais ' Kal KaTa<pVTev<rov<riv
d/LtTreXtDvas, Kal ov ^ irluffi.
TOV olvov auTwv. "Ort ^771)$ 17
Wpa Kvpiov .... (Ii4b.i6)
(fxavTj ij^pas Kvpiov iriKpa Kal
ffK\-rjpa rtraKTai. Avvarij
6pyi)S, i)
^X^ews Kal
awplas Kal d<pavifffJU)v,
GKOTOVS Kal yv6<pov,
ve0A7;s Kal oplx^*}*,
(T(£X7ri77os Kal Kpav-
7^s lirl ras 7r6Xets TCLS 6xv-
/oas, Kal £irl ras ywvlas ras
%ee? rb a?/xa avr&v
Kal rds ffdpKas avruv a>s
/86Xj3tra. Kai rb dpyvpiov
avruv Kal rb xPvfftov avrGiv
ov IJ.T] dtivyrai £%€\t(rdai av~
TOVS tv ijiJ-tpa dpyijs Kvpiov.
(21*8) Svvdx^re,
6-rjTe rb fdvos rb
irpb TOV yevtffdat v/j.as
Trpb TOV
yfdpav dv/Jiov Kvpiov.
(Tare Tbv Kvpiov irdvTes Tairei-
14
The Text of Zephaniah.
VULGATE.
omnes mansueti terrae, qui
judicium ejus estis operati:
quaerite just urn, quaerite
mansuetum : si quomodo ab-
scondamini in die furoris
Domini. (2i3_35a)Et extendet
manum suam super Aquilo-
nem, et ponet Specio-
sam in solitudinem, et in
invium, et quasi desertum.
Et accubabunt in medio ejus
greges, omnes bestiae Gen-
tium : et onocrotalus, et eri-
cius in liminibus ejus mora-
buntur : vox cantantis in
fenestra, corvus in superlimi-
n a r i, quoniam attenuabo
robur ejus. Haec est civitas
gloriosa habitans in confiden-
tia: quae dicebat in corde
suo: Ego sum, et extra me
nonest aliaamplius: quomodo
facta est in desertum cubile
bestiae? omnis, qui transit
per earn, sibilabit, et move-
bit manum suam. Vae pro-
vocatrix, et redempta civitas,
columba. Nonaudivitvocem,
et non suscepit disciplinam :
in Domino non est confisa,
ad Deum suum non appropin-
quavit. Principes ejus in
medio ejus quasi leones rugi-
entes : judices ejus lupi ves-
pere, non relinquebant in
mane. Prophetae ej us vesani ,
viri infideles : sacerdotes ejus
polluerunt sanctum, injuste
egerunt contra legem. Domi-
nus Justus in medio ejus non
faciet iniquitatem. (38)
expecta me, dicit Dominus,
in die resurrectionis meae in
futurum, quia judicium meum
ut congregem Gentes et colli-
gam regna : ut effundam su-
per eos indignationem meam,
OLD LATIN.
inum omnes humiles terrae,
aequitatem operamini, et
justitiam quaerite, et respon-
dete ea , ut protegamini in die
irae domini. (2i3-35a) Tycon-
ius) Et extendet manum suam
in Aquilonem et ponet illam
Nineve exterminium sine
aqua in desertum, et pascen-
tur in medio ejus greges
omnes bestiae terrae. et
chameleontes, et hericii in
laquearibus ejus cubabunt, et
bestiae vocem dabunt in fos-
sis ejus, et corvi in partis ejus
quoniam cedrus altitude ejus.
Civitas contemnens quae
habitat in spe, quae dicit in
corde suo Ego sum, et non est
post me adhuc ! Quomodo
facta est in exterminium pas-
cua bestiarum ! Omnis qui
transit per illam sibilabit, et
movebit manus suas. O in-
lustris et redempta civitas,
columba quae non audit vo-
cem, non recepit disciplinam.
in Domino non est connsa, et
ad Deum suum non adpro-
pinquavit, principes ejus in
ea ut leones frementes, judices
ejus ut lupi Arabiae non re-
linquebant in mane, profetae
ejus spiritu elati viri contemp-
tores, sacerdotes ejus profa-
nant sacra e t conscelerant
legem. Dominus autem Justus
in medio ejus, non faciet in-
justum.1
SEPTUAGINT.
vol 7775, Kplfjia e"p7«ife<r0e,
1 Cyprian's exegesis of 31'2
shows the substantial agree-
ment of his text with that
ofTyconius :— C o 1 u m b a
non exaudit vocem, id
est, praeclara et redempta
civitas non recipit doctrinam
et in Dominum fidens non
fuit. In the Speculum a
clause of 34 is quoted: Sacer-
dotes ejus contaminant sancta
et reprobant legem. This is
perhaps a quotation from
memory, as Tyconius has a
reputation for accuracy, es-
pecially in long passages.
diroKpivecrde avrd, oirus <r/ce-
iracrQiJTe ev 77/^/39 6/37775 Ku-
plov. (21335a) Kal eKTevei TT>
Xeipa avrov eirl fiopbav ....
Kal #77<rei TTJV Nti/eu^ els
d(pat>i<r fJJbv avvdpov, ws eprj/MV.
Kal ve^ffovraL ev jtteVy avrijs
TTofyma, Kal travra ra Orjpla
TTJS 7775, Kal xa/
avrijs
dypla
Kal
tv TOIS
rb avd<TTT}fj.a
77 7r6Xis 77 <pav\iffTpia, 77
KaroiKOVffa tir"1 ATT/SI, 77
\tyovffa tv KapStq. ai/TTjs,
'E7w ftfu, Kal OVK ftrri ner"1
ifj^ en * TTcDs tyevfiOf) eis
a<t>avLffpJbv, vo/J-rj dfiplwv; iras
6 diairopev6/j,€vos Si1 avrrjs <rv-
ptet, Kal Kivfoei ras xetpas
avrov. "ft 77 eirt<pav7]S Kal
diro\€\VTpufJi.t}>r) 7r6Xts, 77 TTC-
purrepa OVK elff^Kovffe <p<i)i>r)S '
O$K fS^aro iratSelav, £iri rf
Kvplfp OVK eTrcTrot^et, Kai irpbs
rbv Qebv avrijs OVK tfyyicrev.
01 apxovres avrijs ws \VKOL
TIJS 'Apa/3/as, ovx vireKlirovTO
els TO irput 01 irpotpTjrat
avTijs irv€Vfj.aTo<f>6poi, avdpes
Kara(ppovT]Tai ' iepeis avrrjs
f3ef3-r)\ov<ri rd ayia, Kal dffe-
(Bovo't vbfjkov. '0 d£ Kvpios
OLKCLLOS £v jn&rtjj auTT^s, Kal ov
'l aOLKOV ' (38) . . .
^7ei Kfyuos, ds
dvaffrdcreibs pov els
ftapTvpiov ' 5t6 rb Kpl/ma /JLOV els
o-vvaywyds €0vu>v, TOV elff-
dej-a<r6ai j3a<rtXe?s, TOV
The Vulgate. 15
VULGATE. OLD LATIN. SEPTUAGINT.
..... (3»-13a) Quia tune red- (8», Cyprian) Expecta me, & afoote ira<rav dpyijv 6vfwv
dam populis labium electum, dicit Dominus, in die resur- /gg.iaax "QTt
ut vocent omnes in nomine rectionis meae in testimon-
Domini, et serviant ei humero ium ; quoniam j u d i c i u m *f««^W* tirl Xaoi/j
uno. Ultra flumina .... de- meum ad congregationes gen- ffo-v ets yeveav ayrT/s, TOV £iri-
ferent munus mini. In die tium, ut excipiam reges et /taXear^at Train-as TO 6vofML
ilia non confunderis super effundam super eos iram K . - 5ouXejjetJ/ aljT/j
cunctis adinventionibus tuis, meam. (3»-is«, Augustine) '
, ,
quibus praevaricata es in me : Transvertam in populos lin- U7rd &"*°v ?"a- E/c 7re/)aTW"
quia tune auferam de medio guam et progenies ej us, ut in- iroTa/j-iov 'At0w7r/as 6i<rov<ri
tui magniloquos superbiae vocent omnes nomen Domini 0v<rlas (ju>i. 'Ej>
tuae et non adjicies exaltari et ser-viant ei sub jugo uno ; a ^
amplius in montesancto meo. finibus flummum Aethiopae ,
Et derelinquam in medio tui adferenthostiasmihi. Inillo 7ra"TWJ'
populum pauperem, et ege- die confunderis ex omnibus ffovi &v fyrtpyffas ets fyt •
num : et sperabunt in nomine adinventionibus tuis, quas 3rt rbre irepieXu airb <rov rd
Domini. Reliquiae Israel. . . inpie egisti in me ; quia tune 0auXZ(ruoTa rm CSecis aov
auferam abs te pravitates in- n~
juriae tuae ; et jam non ad- ** OVK €Ti **« TOV
jicies, ut magnificeris super fJ£ya\avxi)<rai tirl rb 6pos
montem sanctum meum, et S^tbv /*ou. Kai
subrelinquam in te populum
„
mansuetum et humilem ; et
verebantur a nomine Domini, «"*", «"*
qui reliqui fuerint Israel. ^T^ TOU 6v6fj.affTos Kupiou Oi
KaraXouroi TOU
In these verses positive proof of Jerome's use of the Old Latin
is not to be found. There are a few agreements, but these may
well be accidental.1 The remarkable differences, even in places
where greater similarity would hardly have been surprising
because of the nature of the ideas to be expressed, seem to pre-
clude literary dependence on Jerome's part; for this could be
established only by more striking agreements in more character-
istic passages. The so-called Itala Question does not present
itself in connection with these quotations. In only one case
(31*2) are the same verses recovered from two sources. In one of
these it is in an interpretation and not in a quotation, and this
may well account for the slight differences found. It may now be
stated positively that the text already established must be con-
sidered as the purest text of the Vulgate of Zephaniah that can
be obtained.
1 Cf. I7 sanctificavit vocatos suos; I18 angulos excelsos; 21 convenite, congregamini;
3* in Domini non est confisa, (et) ad Deum suum non (ap) adpropinquavit.
16 The Text of Zephaniah.
§ VII. No more emphatic proof of the high esteem in which
the Vulgate is still held could be offered than the fact that
modern Catholic scholarship is about to engage in the stupendous
task of a new revision which will, when completed, be the crown-
ing tribute of Latin Christianity to St. Jerome.1 Doubtless the
choiceness of its diction and the majesty of its style have been
largely instrumental in raising this version to the commanding
position which it has so long occupied in the Catholic Church ;
but it could not continue to usurp the place of the inspired
Hebrew Old Testament so entirely, if its general faithfulness as a
translation were not beyond dispute. In Textual Criticism,
however, accuracy in detail is the measure of a version's value;
and entire consistency in translation, even to the complete subor-
dination of all matters of style and diction, is the translator's
chief virtue. The Latin text of Zephaniah reveals frequent con-
flict beween the careful translator and the literary artist. Occa-
sionally Jerome's faithfulness to the Hebrew leads him to do vio-
lence to the Latin idiom (lu congregans congregabo ; 211 adora-
bunt eum vir de loco suo). More frequently he is satisfied with
an ad sensum rendering from which the reading of his exemplar
could never be recovered without the help of the Massoretic Text
(2T* qui remanserit de domo Juda=mMV JV3 rriKiy; ibi= orp1?;; ;
3* injuste egerunt cow£ra=iDon; 36 dum non est qui transeat=
"131 y ll?3D; non remanente viro, neque ullo habitatore=r#ft ETK sl?3D
atfr ; 37 omnia, in quibus visitavi eam=rrS;rrnpJD "i^xSD; 317
fortis^ ipse salvabit=yw 113J). His translations of participles
prove him a firm believer in the principle of varietas delectat
(participle = participle I4; participle with article = participle I12;
participle with article = relative clause I12; participle = relative
clause 38; participle = adjective 3s; participle = noun I18; parti-
ciple = finite independent verb I14; cf. further 214, where finite
independent verb = participle, and I4, 1", 25-6, 38, where 3tfr is in
each case differently rendered). Connectives he supplies or
omits quite arbitrarily (I11, I18, 21, 35'6, 39), and occasionally he
inserts the copula (1s, 210, 215 eveniet). Prepositions are for the
» The work is to be directed by the Rt. Rev. F. A. Gasquet, Abbot President of the
English Benedictines. The many uncatalogued cathedral libraries of Spain and Italy
are being systematically overhauled, and special copies of the Clementine text are to be
printed to aid in the work of collation.
The Vulgate. 17
sake of variety or interpretatively supplied, omitted or changed
(2a, 2% 33, 37, 316; in I8-4 he seems to distinguish between Sj?D and
|D, the former being rendered by ab, the latter by de). He
sometimes shows a very accurate knowledge of Hebrew syntax
(I8 et erit visitabo^mpQi rrni , the Septuagint has
Kai «rrcH /cat cKSiKijo-w ; 37 diluculo surgentes corruperunt=
irrniyn iD'Diyn). In matters of vocabulary he is, however, not a
safe guide. riDT destroy and StfJ pollute were unknown to him.
Speciosam in 213 is due rather to his failure to understand the
passage than to his fondness for translating proper names (cf. ln,
Pilae) ; at any rate his etymology of Nineveh, if he read the
word, is far-fetched.1 The richness of his Latin vocabulary is of
course largely responsible for his lack of consistency in the choice
of words. For almost every Hebrew word to be translated there
were many Latin equivalents and near-equivalents at his command.
pS is rendered in the Vulgate Old Testament by morari (214), com-
morari, demorari, man ere, remanere, permanere, quiescere, requi-
escere, habitare, esse, resider effing ere tentoria, dormire (cf. further
* 4913, 5916, Job 277, II Sam. 1216 for less accurate or mistaken ren-
derings). *\D33=porrigere, par are, concupiscere, desiderium esse,
amabilis (21). Within Zephaniah the same root is sometimes trans-
lated by different words (216, 3", 314 ; 37, 311). In I3-4 'ivon is ren-
dered by disperdam ; and mjj in I11 is very properly rendered by dis-
perire, which is the regular passive of disperdere ;3 in 25, however,
disperdere is the translation of T3KH, which in 2IS is rendered by
perdere, and in 27 mDJ is translated by perire. Pertinent illus-
trations might be multiplied almost indefinitely, but enough have
been given to indicate Jerome's general habit of translation and
to show how wide are the limits within which the equation, Vul-
gate equals Massoretic Text, may with entire safety be allowed
to obtain. The readings that demand more special consideration
will be noted later. For the rest of the text it can be shown on
the basis of the above analysis either that the present Hebrew
and the Vulgate agree, or that proof of their disagreement is
impossible.
» His derivation of Nineveh is perhaps based on some Midrashic interpretation. He
has connected mrj with n*O or HU, cf. Jer. 6" and Zeph. 2«.
* Cf. Harper's Latin Dictionary (Lewis and Short), p. 592«.
18 The Text of Zephaniah.
CHAPTEE II.
THE PESHITTA.
§ I. There is no apparatus criticus for the study of the
Peshitta text of Zephaniah, and with the exception of Ceriani's
photolithographic reproduction of the Cod. Ambrosianus no man-
uscripts are available. As far as can be gathered from the
scattered and incidental notices of various writers, there are only
a few old Syriac manuscripts containing this book in the libraries
of Europe. That there are none in Berlin rests on the authority
of Strack. In England those earlier than the seventeenth century
are British Museum Add. 14,432, 14,443 and 14,468 (I1'6) ; Cam-
bridge L. e. 2.4, Uni. Add. 1965, Buchanan Bible. In lieu of
manuscripts the printed editions, of which there are five, must be
used to establish a critical apparatus for the text. Of these the
Syriac text of the Paris Polyglot is the earliest (1645). This
was reproduced in Walton's London Polyglot (1657), and again,
but without vowels, by Lee for the British Bible Society (1821).
A Syriac Bible was printed in Nestorian characters and with
Nestorian vowels by American missionaries in Urmiah (1852).
More recently the Dominicans of Mosul have printed a text
(1887-1892). It is difficult to determine the critical value of
these editions. P. (=Paris Polyglot), W. (= Walton's Polyglot)
and L. (=Lee's text), are generally allowed to count as only one
witness, because their differences are either misprints or improve-
ments in spelling. That L. was used for U. (=Urmiah) can be
deduced from the text itself.1 It has not as yet been made certain
whether M. (=Mosul) has independent value or not, because those
competent to judge seem to have been unable to obtain copies.2
The text of P. is known to have been taken from the manuscript
Syriaque 6 of the JBibliotheque Nationale, which dates from the
seventeenth century. As a manuscript it has no special merit,
1 Cf. Nestle, Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, IV, p. 651a.
2 Cf. Barnes, An Apparatus Criticus to Chronicles in the Peshitta Version, with a
Discussion of the Value of the Codex Ambrosianus, Introduction.
The Peshitta. 19
and it seems to have been used only because it was convenient for
the printers to handle. The sixth tome of Walton's Polyglot
(pp. 19 if.) contains a collation of two manuscripts, Usher and
Pocock. In the Prolegomena to this work (p. 1652) it is stated
that Us. ( = Usher) was copied "from a codex of the Patriarch
of Antioch," who is the head of the Maronites. In all likelihood
this was an old codex not on sale. According to Barnes (Journal
of Theological Studies, II, p. 186), Lee had access to the Bu-
chanan Bible and to Cambridge L. e. 2.4, and it may therefore be
assumed that he did not find in them any readings which seemed
to warrant a departure from the London Polyglot. These as well
as Cod. Ambrosianus are Jacobite manuscripts. If manuscripts
were used for U. and M., they were undoubtedly of Nestorian
and Jacobite or Maronite character respectively.1 These few
facts and probabilities, in which practically all that is known
about the origin of these texts is comprised, can in themselves
hardly support any positive conclusions ; but in the light of the
history of Syrian Christianity they are of paramount importance
for the textual criticism of the Peshitta.
§ II. The Peshitta version owes its survival largely to the
Christological heresies of the fifth century. After the Council
of Ephesus (431) the followers of Nestorius were so bitterly
persecuted by their Monophysitic opponents that the heresy
taught by him was speedily stamped out in Italy and Greece.
The Oriental Nestorians, over whom the ecclesiastical control of
Rome and Constantinople was but feeble because they were sep-
arated both by language and character from the Christians of
Europe, maintained their peculiar tenets despite all opposition,
and Syria became virtually a theological battle-ground. The
Monophy sites were victorious because of the powerful advocacy
of Anastasius and Zeno, and they succeeded in driving the Nes-
torians more deeply into the territory of the Sassanian kings of
Persia. Since the Gospel was first preached within their king-
dom, these kings had watched with suspicion the "aliens who
had embraced the religion, and who might favor the cause, of
the hereditary foes of their realm;"2 but now that they were
1 Rahlfs made the assumption that Nestorian manuscripts were used by the American
missionaries (Beltrage zur Textkritik der Peschita, Z.A.T.W., 1889, pp. 161 ff.).
a Cf. Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, XLVII.
20 The Text of Zephaniah.
rebels against the Roman Empire and fugitives from Roman
jurisdiction, they were eagerly welcomed, and in the year 483 or
4841 at the Synod of Beth Lapat Nestorianism was officially
adopted as its confession of faith by the Christian Church in
Persia. The Monophysites were themselves anathematized by
the Council of Chalcedon (451), and the same influence of lan-
guage and character operated to perpetuate this heresy in Syria.
They were in turn harassed by the Nestorians, for whom apparent
defeat had become a triumph through the powerful allies gained,
and their ecclesiastical organization was accomplished only with
the greatest difficulty by Jacob Baradaeus, from whom they
obtained the name of Jacobites. The odium theologicum thus
kindled between Nestorians and Jacobites has never ceased to
burn. Toward the close of the following century many of the
Syrian Christians who had escaped both Nestorianism and Mono-
physitism and who were called Melkites because of their loyalty
to the Empire, were wrecked on the rock of Monothelitism ; and
a third sect resulted whose members are called Maronites. They
never became entirely free from Roman influence and were finally
brought back into the Church, when certain minor concessions of
ritual and clerical privilege were made by the Papacy.
§ III. The Peshitta remained the official version of Scripture
for these three sects ; and though Arabic or Persian became
their vernacular after the Mohammedan conquest, the Bible con-
tinued to be read in the sacred language. Their common accept-
ance of the Peshitta in spite of their lasting hostility to each
other amounts to proof positive that the Peshitta antedates the
schisms which separated them; and the schisms, in that they
would tend to produce three distinct lines of transmission, give
to Textual Criticism its only means of determining an ancient text.
(A.) Where all the authorities agree, it may be safely affirmed
that the text is older than the last quarter of the fifth century.
(B.) Am. (^Ambrosianus) and Us. together establish the
West-Syrian reading, for one is Jacobite and the other Maronite.
(C.) If U. contains any distinctly Nestorian readings, they
ought to be easily recognized because they stand alone.
1 Cf. Noldeke, Aufsatze zur persischen Geschichte, p. 107.
The Peshitta. 21
(D.) In the absence of more positive criteria U. may be
allowed to decide between West-Syrian readings. These vaguely
general and by no means absolute rules,1 aided here and there by
the scholia of Bar Hebraeus and the quotations of other writers,
must in the absence of anything better fix this important text for
the entire fifteen centuries or more of its existence. Though
Assemani, himself a Syrian, has written a tome of 950 pages
concerning Syrian Christianity,2 he throws little light on the
history of the Peshitta as such ; and little more is now known of
its origin3 than Theodore of Mopsuestia seems to have known
when he wrote :
fjpfjirivcvTai 8e ravra ets fJ^v rrjv r<av Svpon/ Trap' OTOV S^TTOTC, ovBe yap
lyvaKTTai /u-e'xpt TT/S riy/xepov ocrns -TTOTC OVTOS eoTtv. 4
§IV. The following is a collation of P., W., Us., Po. ( =
Pococl$), U., M. and Am. with L. : I8* ^ * * ^\ — Am.
I9* .cov^Jf^o po> .oouaJj^ao . I11* . ^V ft ^ Ain "" ^" * A . I11*
—Am. *oZ?. I12 P— Am. Us.* P?. I15* l?co??_Am. fecofo. I15*
|J^I— P. P^l. I17* U 1*1 -—Am. UJ] ^1^. I18* gold and
silver— Am. silver and gold. 22* Pr^o(3)— U. M. Pr^ . 29-10-13-14-16*
"^-4.1^0-.] — U". M. omit both alephs, Am. omits the first. 29* U^»» —
Am. tt^X 2n* ^X^l— U. ^X1!?. 212 Am. vc£JJ additional.
(37-8 break in Am.) 311 ^-r-«— Am. U.*
U. M. *-^. 317* h^r^— M. ^r^. 319
-M. U. Us. Am. *vociZZoi^? \±i] oi^as. 320 jy[ jj.
Us. Am. add at the beginning of the verse * ^a-»^-»l 001 U^^ ouo .
3'° VOOUJL^^_U. M. Am. * vooi-J.^ .
The readings to be preferred according to the rules formulated
above have been starred. With one exception the variants are
of no importance, consisting either in omissions and additions of
®, ?, and ^», or in differences of spelling. In 319-20 the collation gives
a reading which commends itself as original. The text obtained
from these different lines of transmission contains inner-Syraic
corruptions, and these must therefore be very early. In I9 Po.
1 The rules here formulated agree substantially with those given by Rahlfs (Z.A.T.W.,
1889, pp. 161-210) , though much less positively stated.
2 Assemani, Bibliolheca Orientalis, IV.
3 Cf. Berg, The Influence of the Septuagint upon the Peshitta Psalter, New York, 1895.
« Cf. Migne, Patrologia Graeca, LXVI, p. 241.
22 The Text of Zephaniah.
has corrected one of these by reading sf01 ^i^ for ^pqi * i, SP . The
others are l^*- for i^^ (211) ; IH^ (pointed Ij^ in W.) for 1-=^
(214, cf. Brockelmanrf s Lexicon Syriacum, p. 258b, and Ez.
173.-^. ^0, for )^oi (3«? cf. i").
§ V. Bar Hebraeus cites Zephaniah in the following verses,
quoting at most a clause though generally only a word:1 I1, I2,
I3-3-3-3, I8, I10'10, I11-11, I17, 27-7, 212, 213, 214-14," 215, 34, 35, 39, 315. In
I11 one of the three codices collated by Moritz agrees with Am.
in omitting the final o of cjoZ? . Jn 27, where the editions all have
] *v>i^>? Bar Hebraeus seems to have read i-^-» i-aurs (in ripa
maris). This may be an explanation of the geographical location
of Askalon; some connection with the S^n of 25-6'7 is not unlikely.
The remainder of his citations agree with the text of the editions.
The scholia have no textual value, being either on the vocaliza-
tion of words or of an interpretative character. Quotations of
Zephaniah must be exceedingly rare in early Syriac religious
literature, because a patient search of many indices and footnotes
yielded only a few allusions to Zephaniah by Ephraem Syrus in
his poetical Homilies, and two partial quotations of the same verse
(39) by Aphraates, in which he does not differ from the accepted
text.2
§ VI. The translation of Zephaniah, while literal, is not
slavish, and its style is smooth and flowing. The similarity of
Hebrew and Syriac in idiom and vocabulary was evidently of
great help to the translator ; but still the Peshitta, as the Vulgate,
falls far short of that accuracy of detail and consistency in
translation which gives a version its chief value for Textual
Criticism. The data which show the general character of the
translation, and which thus, though of little or no importance per se,
indicate where possible variants may be looked for and where not,
may be at once collected and dismissed from further considera-
tion.3
1 Cf. Moritz, Oregorii Bar Hebraei in Duodecim Prophetas Minores Scholia,
Leipzig, 1882.
2 It was impossible to find out whether the recension of Jacob of Edessa made in 704-5
was still extant; cf. Swete, Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek, p. 116, n. 4; and
Ryssel, Untersuchungen uber die Textgestalt und die Echtheit des Buches Micha,
p. 173.
s Cf. Introduction; the Syriac readings are always mentioned first. The plus and
minus of the Peshitta in regard to Vau are not noted; it is added about forty times and
not once omitted.
/ Of THE
I UNIVERSITY
V or
'"•"fa* Peshitta. 23
I* | *1 *1^— ma (always except in Ez.). I4 ? additional (name of
the Chemarim with the priests = name of the Chemarim with that
of the priests). !6Va (2) additional. T Part. = part, and looi
(cf. la, 35, part.^impf.). l6^ (2) additional. I6 ^ ^<* = :DJ
nnKD (cf. Is. 5913). I7 U°r* 1r^=ni7V ^1N (only in the Minor
Prophets and Ez.). I7 0=0 (cf. 320, «few). I7 ^iol=anpn (cf.
Jer. 123). I8 Part.=part. and looi with ? (cf. 215). I11 ^^o^=
(of. 31, <Jo-)« ^ ^ •*' additional. lia U^tt1?!. I14
^r^ eoi U£U£-D J. «i V>> 1-05 oi^oo* ooi uOu^O=VtJFI mns DV D'lp
a^ip (the changes here are for the sake of clearness).
1" 1M=ni3^ (cf. 118=1>^05). I17 Impf. with ?=i consecutive
with perf. I18 Gold and silver = silver and gold (cf. Am.). I18
jj^ajoo ^a^? ^nSnaj ]K n^D (this is perhaps a good interpretation,
but not a very exact translation, cf. I9 ll®"^® ^aok-» ^offiXs— ^
jnsDn^^nn). I18 Part.=impf. 24 vor^P ?i-*'l3=ni»nnE;K . 26
Part, with ^ — part, construct. 29 ^^ i-^-^i? 5®^=^ Vn.
29 looLi additional. 29'5^-lria-'i^^ additional. 211 ^o^o^^nSK (for
theological reasons). 212 minus suffix and HDH . 214 l^aiQ^j Ueu^
=su in^n . 214 J?i its houses =in its capitals. 214 01Q-^— j^na . 216
jua^j? ^SnSizziaijy SD . 215 o»io£J and i^opo additional (due to the
fact that the following verses were referred to Nineveh). 31
I&JL^ additional (interpretative). 31 ^a*-=n:rn (this is read as
the name of the prophet because of the interpretation just men-
tioned [216J; the order of the words is changed for the same
reason). 32 ? additional. 35 V ^ 13a^°=l?ij; jnr *6i . 36 AS^««4
=1D27J. 36 Part, with ?=part. 36 -^> ^o="l?aD = pKO (cf. 26).
37 ?=!jK . 37 ^^^ additional (interpretative). 37 j^j^cVa— nty« ^3.
38 p] ^0^05— ^Dip. 38 ^^° additional (this verb is inserted to
guard against ambiguity). 38 h-^=Djfl=a«|H (cf. I16). 39 ^-r-<no
= m^3 (cf. 3n=T^i-<n). 39 ? withimpf.=inf. of purpose (2).
310 Shall bring to me offerings — shall bring my offerings. 311
aipD (cf. 317, ^a-^ = ^a")pa). 3
(cf. 27). 315 **u* additional (cf. 37). 316
= |ry . 3" V°°r*° ^^=^2^ "^^ • 318
!j13j;D SD (it is unnecessary to suppose that D^D was read).
320 ooi additional (cf . I14'16). 320 Impf. =inf . with suffix. 320 ? l^
with part, and pronoun subject^inf. with suffix.
24 The Text of Zephaniah.
It is evident from this collection of "peculiarities" that the
motive of the Peshitta translator was religious rather than
scholarly, and that he desired to make a readable rather than an
exact translation. He much preferred expansion to condensation.
Interpretative additions, especially in places where the style of
the Hebrew is concise or elliptical, are not infrequent (215, 31, 37,
38). There is a marked preference for long sentences, and these
are formed by adding connective particles (passim). Pronouns
are both supplied and omitted (212, 311). Interpretations and
paraphrases are occasionally found (I4, I9, I18). There is at least
one change for theological reasons (211). A word denoting a
general conception is sometimes substituted for one that denotes
a particular part of the conception (214). A plural is often used
to render a collective (I3, 214). Minor changes of order, the
reason for which is not clear, also occur (I18, 38). Gross ignorance
of Hebrew syntax and vocabulary cannot be laid to his charge
(cf., however, 1", 31). Ryssel's general estimate of the Peshitta
of Micah1 will serve equally well for that of Zephaniah. His
words are : — Fassen wir . . . unser Urtheil tlber den Syrer zusam-
men, so muss die grosse formelle Gewandtheid anerkannt werden,
mit welcher er die Gedanken des hebr. Textes ins Syrische
tiberzutragen versteht, und der leichte, fltissige Stil, in dem alle
Unebenheiten des Ausdrucks beseitigt sind; dabei schreibt er
korrekt und vermeidet deshalb meist Hebraismen.
CHAPTER III.
THE SEPTUAGINT.
§ I. For many centuries after its origin the Septuagint was
a potent religious force, first among Hellenized Jews and later
more especially among Christians. Its importance is shown by
the translations of Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotian indirectly,2
and directly by Origen's Hexapla and the recensions of Hesychius
and Lucian. Through the gradual ascendancy of Rome, its place
1 Ryssel, Untersuchungen uber die Textgestalt und die Echtheitdes Buches Micha,
p. 171.
• It is generally agreed that these translations were made in antagonism either to the
Septuagint or to each other.
The Septuagint. 25
was, however, more and more usurped by the Vulgate, and its
direct religious influence continued only in the many secondary
versions that were based on it.1 During this time through the
mixture and conflation of recensions and translations — a process
which was much facilitated by the lazy and ignorant use of
Origen's Hexaplaric Septuagint — the text of the manuscripts be-
came exceedingly corrupt. Humanism in its passionate love for
the literature of Occidental antiquity, and the Protestant Reforma-
tion in that it rejected the authority of the Vulgate while its
formal principle demanded an authoritative Scripture, combined to
revive a critical interest in the Septuagint which has been steadily
growing; but it has long ceased to undergo recension for religious
motives, and the printing-press has checked all further corruption
by eclectic manuscript transmission. The history of the Septua-
gint thus falls into two general epochs, which may be called the
Epoch of Construction and the Epoch of Reconstruction. Between
these lies the period of manuscript transmission in which the
second epoch must find its material with which to work. Many
editions of the Septuagint have appeared, but the process of
reconstruction is still far from complete.2 The great problem is
to recover the pre-Hexaplaric (pre-Origenic) text; but this can
be obtained only after the Hexaplaric, Hesychian and Lucianic
texts, which lie confused together in the manuscripts, have been
separated from each other. The three types thus obtained would,
after the recensional elements of each had been removed, represent
the texts current in Palestine, Egypt and Syria in the early and
late third century, and their collation would yield a very early
Greek text. Along these lines comparatively little has as yet
been done.3 The extant Hexaplaric fragments have been collected
1 In the East, where it is still recited by the\Orthodox Church in the Ecclesiastical
Offices, it lost much of its influence over the thought and life of the people. — Swete»
Introduction to the Old Testament in Greek, p. 433.
2 As many as sixty-three editions and reprints between the Complutensian text and
that of the larger Cambridge Septuagint (now in preparation) are enumerated by Nestle
and Swete. The editions from which the reprints have been made are he Complutensian
(4), the Aldine (6), the Sixtine (45) and the Alexandrian [Grabian] (5). The Cambridge
Manual Septuagint completes a total of sixty-five. There are also several facsimile and
photolithographic editions of manuscripts, but these are not generally accessible. Many
editions of single books or groups of books have appeared; the text of Zephaniah seems
never to have been separately published.
3 The larger Cambridge Septuagint will when completed be valuable mainly for its
critical apparatus, for in its text it will but repeat the Manual Septuagint text of Codex B.
26 The Text of Zephaniah.
by Field in his Hexapla Origenis, but the text is not restored in
a connected form. Lagarde began the reconstruction of a pro-
visional Lucianic text, but only one volume of his work appeared
before his death.1 The Hesychian recension has not yet been so
much as definitely identified.2 The collations of H. P. (= Vetus
Testamentum G-raecum, cum variis Lectionibtis, ed. Robertus
Holmes [ . . . editionem a Roberto Holmes inchoatarn continuavit
Jacobus Parsons], Oxford, 1798-1827), and S. (= Cambridge
Manual Septuagint, The Old Testament in Greek according to
the Septuagint, H. B. Swete, 1887-1894, 21895-1899) contain
practically all the evidence of manuscripts and editions ; but the
former has been severely criticised on the score both of accuracy
and arrangement,3 while the latter contains the variations of only
the important uncials.
§ II. The pre-Hexaplaric text of Zephaniah cannot thus be
directly and positively established; indirectly something may,
however, be done. In the apparatus criticus resulting from the
combination of H. P. and S. there are numerous itacistic and
sporadic readings which are easily recognized as such. Many
rival readings, having good manuscript support, in regard to
which nothing positive can be determined because of their nature,
are also to be found; but since Cod. B. (=Vaticanus) on the
whole presents the version in its oldest form, the balance of
probability is in its favor in these cases. There are, however,
several pronounced variations from B. and its supporters — B. of
1 Cf. Lagarde, Symmicta, II, pp. 137-148.
2 To what extent the Hesychian recension is still accessible in manuscripts and
versions of the Septuagint is uncertain — Swete. Field made no mention of it in the
Introduction to his Hexapla, although he discussed Lucian and his work extensively.
Ceriani made the claim that the Codex Marchalianus (Q., XII) of the Prophets agrees
very closely with the text presupposed in the Egyptian versions and in the works of
Cyril of Alexandria, and that it is supported by 26, 109, 198 and 306. According to Tischen-
dorf this codex belongs to the recension of Eusebius and Pamphilus, i. e. , it Is Hexa-
plaric. The Hesychian group in Ezekiel according to Cornill is 49, 68, 87, 90, 91, 228, 238.
Lagarde and Cornill thought that this recension was to be sought in the Aldina edition,
which generally follows 68 even in its mistakes; but Stekhoven claimed that the Complu-
tensian text in the Minor Prophets agrees with 40, a manuscript which is closely related
to the text used by Cyril of Alexandria and therefore to Hesychius. Grabe found the
recension in Codex B. For the remaining books of the Old Testament (i. e., with the
exception of the Prophets) we have as yet no published list of manuscripts containing
a probable Hesychian text— Swete.
3 A complete stemma exhibiting the filiations of these manuscripts and recensions
cannot be made from the collations of H. P.— Moore, Judges, p. 14.
The Septuagint. 27
course represents all manuscripts not cited as differing from it, at
least in so far as the collations are dependable, — which are of such
a character that either they or the readings of B. from which
they differ must be due to the recensions ; and for the attribution
of at least some of these more or less positive criteria are available.
The critical notes in the margin and text of the Syro-Hexapla in
some cases indicate a choice, and in others a reading is shown to
be due to Lucian by the known characteristics of his work. The
fragments of Origen's Hexapla (fifth column) collected by Field,
the Syro-Hexaplaric version and the Old Latin fragments can also
here and there be used as a test. The text of B., thus confirmed
or corrected as the case may be by the available evidence, may be
accepted as original. Although many elements of uncertainty
must remain in a text thus established, these will be in matters of
detail which are of importance mainly for the editor of a critical
edition, and which do not materially affect the use of the version
for Old Testament Textual Criticism.
§111. The Greek manuscripts of Zephaniah contained in the
collations are the following: —
SYMBOL. NAME. DATE.
A. (III.) Alexandrinus. V.
K. Sinaiticus. IV.
Q. (XII.) Marchalianus. VI.
V. (23.) Venetus. VIII.
T. Cryptoferratensis. IX.
22. British Museum Reg. 1, B. 2. XII.
26. Vat. Gr. 556. XI.
36. Vat. Gr. 347. XIII.
40. Dorotheus Moldaviens. XII.
42. Demetrius Moldaviens. XII.
49. Laur. XI. 4. XI.
51. Laur. X. 8. XI.
62. Ox. New Coll. XIII.
68. St. Mark's, Gr. 5. XV.
86. Barber V. 45. X.
87. Chigi 2. IX.
91. Vat. Ottob. Gr. 452. XI.
95. Vindobon, Th. Gr. 163. ?
97. Vat. Gr. 1153. X.
106. Bibl. Comm. Gr. 187, Ferrara. XV.
114. Evora, Carthus. 2. ?
28 The Text of Zephaniah.
SYMBOL. NAME. DATE.
131. 1 Vindobon, Th. Gr. 23. XII
147. Ox., Bodl. Laur. 30. ?
153. Vat. Gr. 273. X.
185. Vindobon, Th. Gr. 18. XI.
198. Paris, Nat. Gr. 14. IX.
228. Vat. Gr. 1764. XIII.
233. Vat. Gr. 2067. XII.
238. Vat. Gr. 1153. IX.
239. St. Salvator Bonon. 641. XI.
240. Laur. VI. 22. XIII.
310. Mosq. Syn. 209. XI.
311. Mosq. Syn. 341. XI.
§ IV. Approximately 500 different readings are noted in H. P.
and S. (a) To this total K* has contributed a large number.
He seems to have been a very poor copyist, as the following
specimens of his work will show: — I3 yx^ves (t^vcs), I4 ^tpa (^et/oa),
I15 ras TrdXts, 210 TravTO/cpdro/aav, 33 lire\L(f>Or)O-av. (£>) Evident cor-
ruptions of all kinds abound: — I12 dya&OTronJo-ei (dya^OTroi^o-r;), I14
Taxwv) and raxvvr) (ra^eux), 24 SieaTracr/xoo^and Biecnrap/^evr)
25 K/OITWI/ (KpryTwv), 27 KaraXvTrots (KaraXotVots) , 38 e^e'Xcn
36 KarcWa (/carcWao-a). (c) The sporadic readings of single or of
related manuscripts are numerous : — spelling, 'lov&W ('lovSa) ; mood,
I7 €vXa/?eicr0at (evXa/?e«r0e) ; tense, 1s eKXeiTrera) (eKXiTreVa)) ; number,
3B avraij/ (avr^s), I3 eKXtTreroxrav (e/cXiTreTco) ; person 21 i)/xas (v/xas),
36 e^cpTyttaxrav (c^epry/xwo-w) ; case, I6 Sw/xcuri (Sw/xara) ; preposition, I10
OTTO (cTrt'), I10 eKKevTowTwv (aTTo/cevTowTcov) , 22 eX^etv (cTTcX^etv) ; syno-
nyms, I16 tcr^vpds (o^vpds), dSt/cuxs and dvo/xoxs (dcreySetixs) ; words of
similar appearance, 312 TroXw (TT/DCIVI/), 36 tixfrOrjcrav (rj^avLcrO^a-av) ,
3" Trpovxy? (TT/OOO-^S); additions, I4 ev (before Jerusalem), 32 <rov;
omissions, I1 6s: homoioteleutonic, 29 /xe'w? to /xeviy; dittography,
I4 €7Tt *IOV&XV Kttt €7Ti *Iov8aV (€7Tt 'lovStt Kttt').
§ V. Between a large number of rival readings which both have
good manuscript support, decision must, as has already been sug-
gested, be arbitrary. I4 icpoiv — tepeW. I7 ^roe/xaKe — ^Toi/xa<re. I10
«v rrj T7/A€pa CKUVT) — ev €Kf.cvy ry -jy/xe/oa. I11 Oprjvrja-aTe. — OpyvtiTt. I13
ov xi^| KaroiKr](TOv<rw — ov /x^ Karot/CT/crowrtv. I14 ^ ^xupa — ly/xepa. I18
([i/Xov — £iyXovs. 24 'AaKaXcov — 'AcTKaXcov €<rrat. 28
1 130 and 131 is the same manuscript. It is by Lagarde assigned to the thirteenth
century (cf. Z.A.T.W., 1908, p. 11). 238 is said to be a copy of 87.
The Septuagint. 29
211 €7ri^>av7/o-CTat — em^av^s efrrat (cf. Joel 211'31, Hab. I7). 3a OVK —
ovSe. 34 01 icpcis — tepcis. 36 &o8eveo-0ai, — SioSeveiv. 38 8ta — Trapa. It
is with equivalents of which these are representative that the
elusive Hesychian recension may sometime be connected, unless
indeed the view that it was a new version now lost ultimately
prevail.1 Comparatively few variants remain, after B's readings
have been accepted in all the cases that belong to this class.
§ VI. Lucian had a double purpose in revising the Septuagint
text. He wished to improve its Greek and at the same time make it
conform more nearly to the original. His reverence for the Sep-
tuagint sometimes led him to place two translations side by side.
In supplying lacunae he made use of the translations of Aquila,
Symmachus, and Theodotian. His text also has interpolations that
serve only to indicate the nexus of the thought or to make an obscure
passage clearer. He seems to have allowed himself to introduce
only minor changes for the sake of better Greek. An occasional
removal of stiffness by a slight change of construction, and the sub-
stitution of a singular for a plural predicate with a neuter subject,
of a more familar word or form for one less familar, of one com-
pound verb for another, and of a simple for a compound verb or
vice versa, as far as now known, mark the extent of his literary
revision. It is evident that there are no absolute criteria for
detecting his merely literary changes, and therefore many variants
of which one or the other is perhaps due to him belong to the
class of which illustrations have already been given. (§ V.) Cor-
rections according to the Hebrew and interpretative additions
may, however, be identified with more or less certainty. Accord-
ing to Stekhoven the following readings are Lucianic: — la iravra
additional; I3 TO. trKavSaAa o-vv rots dcre/Jecrtv; I4 TO>V )8aa\€t/w., /u-era ran/
tepetov additional; I6 Kara TOV Mc'X^o/x; I12 TOVS Aeyovras; I17 €KX«D;
2a ^/xcpas additional ; 2s ^T^crare SiKawxrw^v ^TT/crare irpaor-qra Kat
vra; 213 ve/XTycrcrat ; 215 eycvcro; 3s \€\vTpo)fJi€vrj ; 31*
320 ov additional. To these may be added: I1 eyeVero;
I18 Svv^rai; 213 €KT€vu>, fjioV) airoXu*, 6rf<T<^\ 34 eis TOV vo/u,ov; 37 ctTrov,
8u<£0apT<u; 313 ov /txij. There are also two readings from the other
Greek versions which may have been introduced by Lucian: I16
Aquila; 38 eye/oo-e'ws pov cuwvuxs, Symmachus. These
Nova potius versio quam ' Septuagintae ' interpretum dicenda—Gr&be.
30 The Text of Zephaniah.
readings, none of which are to be found in B., must all be rejected
as recensional; they give no indication as to the nature of Lucian's
Hebrew text.
§ VII. (a). In its text and margin the Syro-Hexapla has a few
important critical notes: — I4 */x€ra TWV lepeW. I5* *at TOV? Trpoo--
(margin) ; 22 * yuepa (note ; hoc ex reliquis) , * Trpo TOV
<£' v/xas ^/xepav 6vfj.ov Kvptou; 27-j-r^s ^aXa(r<r>ys, -r- 'lovSa1 ;
36 * cts <£ws Kat OVK aTreKpvftfj Kat OVK eyvto doW'av cv aTratTTyo'et (margin) ;
36-r-KaT€O"7ra<ra VTrep^aVovs fi<f>avi(T0r)<raVy 310 * TrpocrSe^o^tat ei/ 8te<T7rap-
/xe'vots fte (margin) ; 314 0vyarep; -4-Aeyet Kvptos. (5) From the text
of the Syro-Hexapla additional data may be gathered: — I7 Kat
omitted before ^yta/ce; I9 «rt Travras additional, ®cov omitted; I11
Kat before tguXoOpevOrjo-av omitted; I16 the order of words is O-KOTOVS
Kat yvo<£ov; 22 Ovpov additional; 214 Kat before KopaKcs omitted; 36
the order is Kpt/ua avrov Swo-et, VIKOS for VCIKOS; 38 Tr)v opyirjv fjtov -jrao-av
opyyv Ovfjiov /xov was read ; vTroXeti^o/xat for vTroXiy^o/xat. (c) Field's
fragments of the fifth column of the Hexapla, in so far as they
were not derived from the Syro-Hexapla, were obtained from
Codd. 86 and Q, and from the commentaries of Jerome, Theo-
dore of Mopsuestia and Cyril of Alexandria on the Minor
Prophets. Some have thus already been cited ; the rest are here
added. 1s Kat aaOevrjo-ov&iv ot dcreySers; I4 Kat ra ovo/xara TWV tepcwv;
I5 Kara TOV /Sao-iXews; I9 Kat €KStK>/<ra> €fjL<f>av<*)<s €?rt ra TrpoVvAa; I10 dwro
7rvAr;s aTTOKCvrowTcov ; I11 ot KarotKovvres rrjv KaraKCKO/x/Aeviyv ; I12 e^epev-
v^o*a); I16 OXtyetvs, dwptas Kat d^>avto-p,ov) ; I18 o-vvreXctav Kat
21 (rvvd^drjTe. Kat o*w8e'^>yTe; 23 Kpt/xa, Kat aTroKptVeo^e avra; 24
eo-rat; 2B TrdpotKOt Kpryrtuv; 26 Kp^rry; 29 Kat Aa/xao^Kos, w?
214 ws ^a/xatAcovTCS ; 31 w 17 e7rt<^av^s Kat a7ro\e\VTp(afievr) TroAts,
^ 7T€pto*Tepa; 33 XvKOt T^5 'ApayStas ; 36 ev 8ta^>^opa, ycovtat avraiv; 38 cts
fjfjiepOLV dvao"Tao"co>s p,ov cts fAaprvpiov ; 39 on TOT€ p,eTaoTp€i^<o CTTI Xaov?
yXo>o"o*av fits yeveav avr^s; 310 CK Treparwv Trora/xoiv 'At^tOTrtas otcrovo-t
^vo-tas ;u,ot; 318 ws ev ^epa eopr^s, ovat.
§VIII. In the passages represented in these collections the
text of B. is for the most part confirmed; and its readings, except
1 In the course of transmission an obelus has evidently fallen out before
The one before 'Iotf5a is perhaps due to the fact that in some manuscripts a new line was
begun with this word, for the diacritical marks were repeated before the first word of a
new line.
The Septuagint. 31
such as are about to be individually considered, may be at once
adopted in preference to their alternates.
1B All the evidence goes to show that /cat TOVS Trpotr/cvvowras
was absent from the original text of the Septuagint, and these
words must be deleted from B.
I9 In omitting CTTI Travras B. seems to have no better support
than 40 and 239. Field and the Syro-Hexaplaric text disagree.
It is necessary to insert this in B. The Syro-Hexaplaric omission
of @cov is not explained by a note, but that this word was in the
original Septuagint is attested by the Vulgate.
22 The last clause is asterisked in the Syro-Hexapla. In the
preceding clause OvpSv is added with opyrfv (^Kjnn), and in the
clause asterisked o/oyJ/s seems to have been read for Ovpov. There
seems to have been some confusion between these clauses the
initial words of which are the same. At least "aberant igitur
haec a ' Septuaginta ' " does not at once follow, especially as the
Old Latin preserved in the Speculum omits the second of these
clauses and retains the third. The same omission is suggested by
a corrector of Cod. Sinaiticus («c-b). These clauses are peculiarly
liable to omission by homoioteleuton, as 233, Cod. Toletanus and
several Hebrew manuscripts demonstrate. In view of this fact,
and more especially because of the evident confusion, it seems
unnecessary to delete either one clause or the other.
27 The Syro-Hexapla misrepresents Origen in 'suggesting that
his fifth column read airo TT/OOO-WTTOU wuiv -f- 'lov&x X . The obelus
must be placed before the first word. These words were perhaps
incorporated into the text by someone who did not understand
the absolute use of /caraAveiv in the sense of to lodge.
35'6 According to the Syro-Hexaplaric notes and text Origen's
fifth column read:
Kpifjua. avrov Swcret * eis <£<*>? /cat OVK a.7T€Kpvf3rj /cat OVK cyvw (<rav) dSt/ctav
ev aTTonrrjcru X /cat OVK ets vt/cos dSt/ctav ev 8uL<f>06pa -r- /caT€(T7ra<7a VTrepr;-
<£dVovs ^avto-^o-av X . The signs are again misplaced, for the
last three words are certainly not a Septuagint addition. It is
known that Origen sometimes gave .two readimgs where the
Septuagint differs widely from the Hebrew, and that he then
indicated the Hebrew current in his time by an asterisk and the
Septuagint by an obelus. Evidently someone who was ignorant
32 The Text of Zephaniah.
of this special method of indicating a doublette has arbitrarily
brought about conformity with the general practice. One of the
metobeli must be deleted, and the other must be substituted for
the obelus. An obelus must be placed before the first ev. The
Septuagint reading thus obtained makes fairly good sense, but it
cannot be regarded as an attempted translation of the Hebrew
that has come down to us. There are indications in the collation
of H. P. that vet/cos must be read for vt/<os and Sia<£d/oafor Sia<£0opa.
The Syriac for eV aTramJo-ei is Ik^sks. — Field seems to have read
this as ]&±o A^ — and the meaning may be in doubt. The Origenic
reading thus becomes a triple gloss, "in doubt," "and not in
dispute dSi/a'av," "in disagreement". The trouble seems to have
been due to the words ntzto SlK, the first of which was so translated
that the second had no apparent government. Comments occa-
sioned by this supplanted the text, while a slight change in one
case gave a good sense, and in another a possible translation of
the Hebrew word (n&2i = ev 8ta<f>06pa) . The original Septuagint
for n^ is thus unknown, but ev aTratTT/o-et /cat OVK eis vet/cos dStKiav h
8ia<f>06pa must be deleted.
38 D;N is represented in the Syro-Hexapla, but according to Field
it was not represented in Origen's fifth column. It is absent from
the Old Latin. As 0v/x,os and 0/0717 translate ^x, pin, DJN, rn3p and
non indifferently, it was impossible to translate literally where
three of these words occur together without repeating one or the
other of them. One Greek word thus sometimes represents two
Hebrew words (cf. Is. 1313, Jer. 48, Zeph. 2a), and this may well
be the case here.
310 The clause 7rpocr8e'£o/>uu iv Steo-Trap/xeVoi? /xov is to be deleted
because it is absent from the Hexaplaric text and the Old Latin
of the Speculum.
312 The reading vTroAij^o/xat is an early inner-Greek corruption
for i}7ro\€i\l/ofjicu.
The text of the Cambridge Manual Septuagint, which is based
on a facsimile edition, is to be preferred to that of H. P., which
represents a copy of B. made by the Dutch Septuagint editor,
L. Bos. Where the Manual contains T instead of B. (39b-320),
H. P. is to be preferred, and so xxu ^o-o/xat (319) and on (with
, 320) are to be inserted. €£oAe'0/>evo-£ (211) should be e£oAo-
The Septuagint. 33
0/oevo-e (cf. 37). iraiSiav (3a) should be TraiScutv (cf. 37). aXwvos (29)
must be corrected to dA.os (Putamus dA.os inter pretatos, id est^ sails ;
sed ab imperitis, qui 0i/x,o>vtav, Aoc es£, acervum, frumenti vel
frugum, putaverunt, pro oAos additis duabus litteris, o> et v, quasi
ad consequential^, frugum, aXwvos, Aoc es£, areae positum— Jerome) .
As there seem to be no quotations of Zephaniah in the early
Greek Church Fathers, the New Testament Apocrypha, the New
Testament, Josephus, Philo or the Old Testament Apocrypha, no
earlier text than that now established can be obtained.
§ IX. The readings of the Septuagint which illustrate the
general character of the translation without proving differences
of text can now be presented. From these it will be seen that
the Septuagint has no general characteristics which it does not
share with the Peshitta or the Vulgate, or with both.1
1s €K\efyu cKAtTreTo) — ^ fpx *]DK (Est. 9" and * 73 19 seem to indi-
cate that forms of «]io were read here; cf., however, DtK *]DK (I8),
where the verb was undoubtedly regarded as in the 3d person.
The absence of a translation for SD makes it entirely uncertain
what the Septuagintist read in his text). 1s ircrara — e|iy (collec-
tive) ; dvo/xovs — D1K (this is a change for theological reasons rather
than an inner-Greek corruption from dv0/>o>7rous [cf. I17, avOp<i>-
TTOVS — DIK]. It is unnecessary to suppose that the Septuagintist
had either D'yeh D1K [G. A. Smith] or [Gratz] D'KBn in his text).
I4 ovofuiTa — DE? (collective) ; KM additional. I5 Sw/xara — nUJ (cf. *
129"). I6 aTTo — nn«D; KOL TOVS p) ^rowras — lK?p3 X1? ItfKl (the
Greek and Hebrew differ in regard to the verb-form to be used
with the negative) ; dn-cxo/Aecous TOV Kvpiov — int^"n (the participial
form is again retained; for the sake of clearness the suffix is
translated by its logical antecedent, cf. Jer. 83). I7 €vAa/?e«r0€—
DH (cf. Zech. 217); Ova-uiv avrov— rUT (cf. 214, avr^s). I8 Kal lora*
..... KOL e/cSt/cTjo-w — smp£)l .... mm (the Septuagintist does not
seem to have understood the Hebrew tense consecution) ; fv8vtw.ro.
— BhaSD (collective). I9 TrpoVvXa — jnso (cf. I12) ; ®eov additional be-
tween "JIK and its suffix (these words were thought to refer to
the temple, and by this addition the reference is brought out
1 Because the translator of Zephaniah seems to have known no law but caprice in his
translations of the article, these have not been referred to ; for the same reason there are
but few references to tenses.
34 The Text of Zephaniah.
more clearly). 1" e^p^e'vot — ^DJ (cf. II Sam. 2412) ; cv rrj
—run (cf. 316). I12 XvXvov— rnu (cf. I9). I13 ev avrats additional.
I14 Initial on and Kat additional (interpretative). I18 Kat o-TrovS^v —
nSn3J }K (^r^rai, Jer. 158). 22 opyrjv — *]K pin (cf. Is. 1313 and
Jer. 48, passages in which 0v/xos translate f]X pin . In 38 Dyr seems
to have been omitted in translation because the Septuagintist's
supply of synonyms was exhausted). 23 rairtwoi — ^y (= Si, 31S) ;
OTTWS^^SIK. 24 Kat additional; eKpt^T/o-erat — niBnr (the construc-
tion is changed to avoid the resumptive suffix). 25 dXXo<£vX(Dv —
(this is the usual translation except in the Hexateuch). 25
v/xas — sprnatfn (the object in the Septuagint is not Canaan,
but the Philistines); CK KaroiKtas — 3tfr pKD (cf. 36). 28 7rpo/3aY(ov —
pv (collective). 27 rots KaraXoiTrois — rviKtf (concrete for abstract,
cf. 313); eTrco-KCTTTat — ips1 (=€KStK>7(ra>, I8-9; the change of tense
is interpretative). 28 ovetSto-^ovs — r\3in (cf. 11S) ; e/xeyaXwovro
— iVun (= e/xeyaA.w0*7<rav, 210) ; opia fiou — oSuj (the reading of
the Septuagint is intrinsically improbable, for the phrase
my border in the sense of territory occurs nowhere else
with Jehovah as speaker ; cf. I Chr. 410). 29 Kat (2) ad-
ditional ; Kvptos Ttov 6\W/A€<ov — ni&OY mrr (= TravroKpaTw/o, 210) ;
KaToAowroi — nn«iy and ins . 210 toy omitted (this omission was inten-
tional to strengthen the idea, cf. Jer. 48aM2). 211 c7ri</>avvjo-cTat —
N1U (cf. Joel 231, Hab. I7) ; TWV eOv&v additional (this addition cor-
responds to the change from gods to kings in the Peshitta). 214
KCU' (4) and avnjs (4) additional; OrjpLa TI/S y^s — 'U irrn (the
Septuagint has the phrase as it occurs in Gen. I24, cf . * 792) ;
Orjpia <j><j)vir)<Tei — 111^ Sp (?) ; Kat ^a/xatXcovres Kat e^tvot — 13p DJl HNp DJi
(collectives). 215 cXTrt's — nan (cf. EC. 94) ; vo/4 0>;ptW — n^nS pin.
32 Kat additional. 33 ev— Dips (cf. 31M7). 33 w? (2) additional.
3* Kat additional. 36 e^ep^/xwo-o) — ^nninn (cf. 27). 36b and 213 are
good illustrations of free and literal translation. 37 Kat additional ;
€^o\oOp€vO'rfT€ — ni:r (the re. was added under the influence of the
preceding verbs) ; TrdVra oo-a — SD . 38 VTro/xavov /xov — ^ 13H ; dvaa--
/x.ov — ''Dip ; ets (rvvaycoya? e0i/cov rov cts Se^acr^at ^SacrtXet? rov tK^eat
^p1? D'U ^DX1? (^ao-tXets is a contraction for jSooiXe&t?) ;
minus SD^T (cf. 22). 39 yXwoxrav — HSt^; Travra? — D^D (cf. I7, 28) ;
£vyov — DDiy (change of figure). 310 CK Treparwv TTOTO/AWV 'At0tO7rtas —
1^13 nn:1? 13^D (cf. 215). 313 Kat additional, mxtf is taken as the
Interdependence of the Versions. 35
subject of the preceding, not of the following, verb ; K<U OVK lorrai
6 eK<£o/3a>v avrovs — Tina JW (the part, in this phrase never has an
object, cf. Is. 17a, etc.; cf. also 26, 3", I7, 2"). 314 Bvyarep 'leppv-
Stm?' (perhaps the change is due to the following w
cf. Gen. 3681 B.) ; «£ 0X775 rr}? KapSuxs <rou— n1? Sm. 316 Xc-
<re €K x«/3os l\^P^v °"ov — ^P'** ™3 (interpretative expansion ;
it is unnecessary with Stekhoven to suppose that JH3 was read) ;
h /xeVw o-ov— }31p3 (cf. 33'17). 316 «v T<? Kcupo>— OVD (cf. I13). 317
ev o-ot — }:np:j (cf. 33, 316); object pronoun additional (2). 319 Xe'y«
Kvptos additional. 319 oi/o/xacrrovs — Dfc? (320 idem).
additional ; eW>7riov V
OHAPTEK IV.
THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE VERSIONS.
§ I. The Peshitta is of Post-Christian origin, and in New
Testament times the Septuagint was already so well established
that it was quoted as authoritative. The wide popularity that
the Septuagint enjoyed would tend to cause many of its phrases,
expressions and interpretations to pass into current use, and
some of these may have been unconsciously adopted by the
makers of the new version. As they were not entirely familiar
with Hebrew, it is natural that they should consult the existing
version when in doubt. The two translations continued to exist
side by side as ecclesiastically recognized versions, and correction
of the one by the other is therefore not impossible, especially
since many Greek ecclesiastics were resident in Syria for a longer
or shorter time. That the Peshitta and Syro-Hexapla may
have influenced each other mutually is shown by the case of Bar-
Hebraeus, who is known to have used them both. The probability
of interdependence, either initial or subsequent, thus established
is so strong that the Septuagint and the Peshitta cannot be
regarded as independent witnesses when they agree together
against the Hebrew.1 In Zephaniah the influence of the Septua-
1 This principle is of course invalid when the two versions follow a common tradition
that can be located in the Aramaic Targum. The Targum of Zephaniah is, however, so
paraphrastic that it gives little aid to Textual Criticism. That which it offers can here be
conveniently collected:—!6 DD^D is interpreted as idols. I9 "1J1 J^IH is explained as
those who walk in the laws of the Philistines. 2* The imperatives are rendered by
words having the root idea of assemble. 214 The Targum adds K3iy to ^Ip . 31 PHIID—
nJOID . 3» DD^ is represented by ^fQ • 3" The obscure clause of this1 verse is inter-
preted by the captivity of my people ivhich was taken captive.
36 The Text of Zephaniah.
gint on the Peshitta (or vice versa, cf. 310) can be discerned in
several places.
I7 0^0 — evAa/?eto-0£ (Syro-Hexapla, a^-*?). I11
Hwoi dpyv/oio) (Syro-Hexapla ^»Nn4Sn). I12 ^0019040^, ^»ft .» — Kara-
<j>povovvra<i CTTI TO, ^vXay/Aara avTtov (Syro-Hexapla, U'«4J). I13 voous
additional — eV avrats additional (?) . 1 14 P-»-^c U .00 i-j^o — VLKp^ Kai
<rK\rjpa (reraKTat) Awa-n/ (Syro-Hexapla, P-^^ paa^io] ].— *-oo
r^s o-a/oKas avrw. 21 1?> P? l^> ojJflj^o a-*lsA.l__<r
TO €0vos TO aTratScvTOV (Syro-Hexapla, 1|-»^1 cjj0]A.]o
5 P? V^a^). 22 ^0001^ U,^ — Trpo Tot) yeveV0ai v/xas (Syro-Hexapla,
The Peshitta and the Septuagint both omit or in trans-
lation. 2s P-? 0,^1^0 — Kpfa epyd£e<r6e. 26 Ur^ — Kprfrrj. 27 l^a-
additional — T^S Oa\do-<nj<s additional. SA-X^1 — eTri^anyo-eTat (cf. the
Syriac translation of &nij in Joel 211>S1 and Hab. I7) ; t-^aJ — e£oAo-
Opevo-t. 214 ^oiJJ UQ-^* — Qypia. ^vyja-u. 31 l^^r- — eTri^avrjs (Syro-
Hexapla, 1^^-t-1) ; l^Q-r3 — aTroXfXvTpupivri (Syro-Hexapla, l^-t-s).
3s t-1 (2) additional— <is (2) additional (?). 37 <*^?—<t>0pdcrOe (?) ;
. 38
Kat
rvpiov. 39 r»* ir-^^ — VTTO Cvyov Iva. 310 The Septuagint and the
Peshitta both omit svi£} ra nnj;. 318 ^.oov^ additional — avTovs addi-
tional. 317 ^^r»* — /catvicio-e NO-^J ^] — <J,S lv ^eaa. 319
The use that the Peshitta translator made of the Septuagint is
on the whole a very intelligent one, although agreement in error
can be found in the above list (lia, 31). In I14 he preferred to omit
DSP rather than accept TeVaKTeu. In 23 he refused to accept a7roKpiW0c
avTa, but he adopted the Septuagint interpretation of the first clauses
of the verse ; dependence on the Septuagint was responsible for the
omission of the second wpl. Perhaps the translation of p^na
(214) by the colorless °-^f> is due to the Septuagint Siopvy/Aao-iv.
The Peshitta has hardly any demonstrable departures from the
Massoretic tradition which it has not derived from the Septuagint.
That the Peshitta has influenced the Septuagint in some of the
instances cited, while not impossible, is still extremely doubtful.
There is, however, to be found in many Greek manuscripts a very
early translation of the obscure phrase in 310 (7rpoo-8e'£o/xcu ev &e-
o-TrapjuteVots /AOV) ; perhaps this belonged to the original Septua-
gint, but was omitted under Syriac influence. In at least some
Interdependence of the Versions. 37
of the readings cited the Peshitta seems to have influenced the
Syriac translation from the Septuagint (cf. 21, 31).
§ II. Jerome lamented the fact that in his day the world ' was
divided between three opposing texts of the Septuagint.'1 It was
his purpose in his translation to get behind the Septuagint back
to the "Hebrew verity"; and though he frequently reminds his
reader that his work is not condemnatory of the ancients,2 he is
not slow to point out wherein and how they erred. As the pur-
pose of Origen was similar to his own, he was naturally a great
admirer of the Hexapla. His use of it can readily be illustrated
by a few quotations :
27 Quod autem legitur in ' Septuagintam ' a facie filiorum Juda,
obelo praenotavimus, nee in Hebraeo enim, nee apud ullam fertur
interpretatum. 39 Ubi nos interpretati sumus reddam populis
labium electum, pro electo 4 Septuagintes ' dixerunt in generationem
ejus, ut subaudiatur, terrae. Et hinc error exortus est, quod
verbum Hebraicum BARURA, quod Aq. et Theo. electum, Sym.
Mundum interpretatus est, 'Septuagintes' legerunt BADURA.8
318 Miror autem Aq. et ' Septuaginta ' in eo loco ubi
diximus: congregabo quia ex te erant, pro erant interpretati
voluisse vae, sive ot, quod semper Aq. non pro plangendo, sed pro
vocando et inclamando ponit.
There are only a few passages in the Vulgate which seem to
indicate direct dependence on the Septuagint. Nomina and
6v6fjuara (I4), silete and evXafttLo-Oe (17)> transeuntem and Tropcvo/xevov
(22), et attenuabit and /cat e£oA.o0/oaxrei (211), the additions of quasi
and d>s (33), expecta and vTro'/xeii/ov (38), and the addition of the
same suffix (39) may all be accidental. Columba (31) may not be
due to the Septuagint ircpto-Tcpa, for in Jer. 2538 Jerome makes the
same mistake. Corvus (214) is, however, an intentional agree-
ment with the Septuagint against the Hebrew of his day (Quod
1 Totus • • • • orbis hac inter se trifaria varietate compugnat. — Preface to Chronicles.
2 Obsecro te lector ne laborem meum reprehensionem existimes antiquorum.
9 In Zephaniah none of the minor Greek Versions are extant in manuscript, and only
fragments contained in quotations such as these have been recovered. The longest of
these fragments is one from Symmachus, preserved by Theodore of Mopsuestia : (310)
TrtpaOev irorafjiuv ''AiBioirtas iKer&jovrd /we T£KVO. T&V 8ie<TKOpTrur/j.tv(i>v vir'1 tfwv tvty-
K<a<ri Swpov tfjiot. They are of no textual value, for they have for the most part been
preserved in citation only because they agree with the Massoretic Text against the Sep-
tuagint.
38 The Text of Zephaniah.
nos et * Septuaginta ' similiter transtulimus corvus in
Hebraeo ponitur HAREB. The Vulgate and the Septuagint
agree further in the peculiar addition of TiSK between <IJIK and
its suffix (I9) ; in the interpretation of *pDJ (21), 101:1 (2s) and
nSjUJ (31) ; and in the subordination of the independent clause
of 3ao. All these agreements can hardly be accidental, 'especially
since it is known that Jerome was thoroughly familiar with the
Septuagint.
CHAPTER V.
THE DEPARTURES OF THE VERSIONS FROM THE MASSORETIC
TRADITION AND THEIR POSITIVE VARIANTS FROM THE CONSO-
NANTAL TEXT.
§ I. Vowels and accents were introduced into the Hebrew
text not earlier than the sixth century A. D. The so-called
Sopherim in the first Christian centuries fixed the form of writing
as regards the matres lectionis. There is good reason to believe
that there was neither word or sentence division in the earliest
manuscripts. It is therefore possible to consider the consonantal
text entirely apart from the form which tradition has given it by
the word and verse division that now obtains, and from the inter-
pretation that the vocalization gives it; for these are as it were
superimposed upon the original text. The translators in some
cases adopted a possible reading or interpretation which disagrees
with the Massoretic tradition. J
(a). 1s Congregans (2) — t|OK (* efoKj cf. I2). I5 Melchom —
D^Sp (*o3Sp is read in the Massoretic text only in I Kgs. 11 B'8
and II Kgs. 2313 ; it has been proposed to read it also in I Kgs.
II7, II Sam. 1230, I Chr. 202, Am. I15 and Jer. 491'3. Jehovah is
often called a king [cf. 31B; Harper, Amos and Hosea, p. 141;
and Brown, Driver and Briggs' Hebrew Lexicon, Art. ^D, 3],
The name Milchom occurs or is proposed as a reading only in
1 In this and the following lists the readings that must be rejected as evidently wrong
have been indicated by a star. Some that have only the negative merit of being not
impossible have been left undistinguished, and those that commend themselves some-
what more strongly have been marked with a dagger.
Departures from Massoretic Tradition. 39
passages in which Ammon is mentioned in the immediate context.
In this passage there is no reference to Ammon, and therefore it
is necessary to accept the Massoretic punctuation and to look for
the exact meaning of the words in the use of different preposi-
tions with the same verb). lu conticuit — nmj (*n??"^T). I14 The
Vulgate takes in as a predicate adjective with Dr. 2& perditorum
— DWD fD'in?, cf. I Kgs. 712— Pro CHORETIM, quod dicitur,
perditorum, nomen Cretae Insulae (' Septuagintes ') putaverunt —
Jerome). 214 attenuabo — mix (*H^«, cf. 2"). 38 in futurum
— ~W^ (t Ubi nos transtulimus, in die resurrectionis meae in
futurum, et omnes interpretati sunt, in testimonium, Hebraeus,
qui me in Scripturis instituit, asserebat LAED in praesenti loco
magis ek eri, id est, in futurum debere intelligi — Jerome; cf. Is.
308, Am. I11, Is. 98 and Gen. 49" in the Vulgate). 318 Nugas—
•;u (*nugas .... a nobis ita ut in Hebraeo erat positum, ut nosse
possimus linguam Hebraeicam omnium linguarum esse matricem.
This has been characterized as an interesting bit of crude com-
parative linguistics. Amara = in (I14) would have served
Jerome's purpose much better. The Septuagint offers a parallel
in x<w>s=\J, (Mic. I4). 318 ut non ultra habeas — Sy fiKtyn (*L?j; n&u?n,
cf. Lev. 197). 320 in tempore quo congregabo — ^3p AP3 (f AP?).
See further under (c) 22, 31'1, 320.
(5) !6>onn\sn — D5Sn (cf. Vulgate, supra). I11 ojo^nnij (*naru).
214 V^H* — 3in (^l1?)- 3n Kinn DVD is connected with what precedes
and not with what follows. See further under (c) I11, 2a, 31, 38, 319.
(c) I1 TOV TOV xovo-i — 'Bho p (the Septuagintist has interpreted
'J^O 1 3 patronymically as the following mov seems to show). I11
rv)v KaraKCKo/x/oieVr/v — ^roDH (* i^nDQn) ; kfjioiuOrj — npnj (there are two
similar roots of which one means * to be like', the other, to destroy).
I12 <£v\ay/wrra (cf. Peshitta) avrwv — Drnni?( * DnnD», cf. Ex. 1242).
I14 reraKrat — D» (*Dt?) ; ^13 J was read as an adjective with the fol-
lowing DV and not as a noun. I17 KCU expect — }3i?i (* ^3^,1). 2a
TTopevd/xevov (cf. Peshitta and Vulgate) — "O;? (j- 13 j;). 2* aTro/c/oiVeo--
^c avra — nij^ (* ^nwjj). 214 Stopvy/xacm/ — j^n (this meaning of the
word is to be found nowhere else in the Septuagint). 31 aTroXeXv-
Tpa>/u,eV>7 (cf. Vulgate and Peshitta) — nS&u: (there are two roots
SKJ, of which one means * to redeem ; the other, to pollute) • ff
(cf. Vulgate). — mrn (this form may be a * noun subject
40 The Text of Zephaniah.
of nyntf, 32; or a participle from nr, to oppress). 33 'Apa/?ias —
anj; (* 3lj£, cf. Jer. 25"; in Hab. I8 the Septuagint bas the same
reading, and in Jer. 56 ecus TWV ofciW represents rn3ij? = rr:i iy). 3
(cf. Peshitta) — ItfS (i#7; cf. Yulgate, supra). 312 nnKtf
is taken as the subject of the preceding verb by the Septu-
agint. 316 epct Kvpos — "iraK?. (* lOK"1 was read and KV/HOS was inter-
pretatively added, cf. 319). 319 ev o-ot eve/cei/ o-ou — ipyo ho fitf (* }fiK
W?S) ; T^V €KTT€TTLe^€vr}v (cf. Peshitta) — j^n (cf. Mic. 48'7, Gen.
3233 ; there are two roots yStf of which the y is represented in Arabic
by Dad and Ta respectively; the one may mean, to oppress-, the
other, to limp. The former is found in the Old Testament only
in the noun ySv, rib ; but the Septuagint suggests very plausibly
that the word here and in Mic. 46-7 be taken from the root that
has the meaning of to oppress. Barth [ Wurzeluntersuchungen . . . ,
uu
pp. 39, 40] suggests the Arabic J^£ as the cognate of the word
here used). 319 h rw Kai/ow orav eto-Sc'lo/xat — '^p '"W? (f AP?, of.
Vulgate).
(d) These readings, so far as they are not at once condemned
by internal evidence, are suggestive for the interpretation of the
text. Whether they are wrong or right, they shed additional
light on the translations and translators. They also indicate the
gradual crystallization of the tradition that grew up around the
text, for departures from it decrease in the versions in the order
of their rise.
§ II. The readings of the versions so far considered either
agree with the current consonantal text, or else data are lacking
to show that the text of which they are severally the translation
varied from it. It is still necessary to consider the equivalents
in regard to which there is positive evidence of disagreement.
Many variants are by the context or by parallel passages shown
to be due to the intentional or unintentional faithlessness of the
translators to their copies, or to the defective character of the
exemplars which they used. Those that are not thus condemned
will represent each version's actual contribution to the textual
criticism of Zephaniah.
(1) Most of the variants are reducible to the addition, omis-
sion, transposition, or change of single letter?.
Variants from Consonantal Text. 41
(a) I14 tribulabitur — rm (I1*, I17 and especially Am. 311 show
that *[n]iY was read; the rendering by the future is interpretative,
cf. Am. 3", idem). 214 robur e/wa— my (*n;Ty, cf. Pr. 21", Jer.
5 168; this change may be due to the punctuation of the preceding
nnK which Jerome adopted). 31 provocatrix — HfcOlD ( Quod signi-
ficantius Hebraeice dicitur *MARA, id est, TrapairiKpaivov<ra —
Jerome). 310 filii — r»3 ('J3; this may, however, be an inner-Latin
corruption fromt/jfo'a). See further under (c) 214.
(b) ).«f\.. — -ppjn (* n^pSn). I10 )r>$ — D>:n (OTV, this word is
always so rendered in the Peshitta, when it occurs in connection
with lytf). See further under (c) 2a-2, 31, 37-7, 317.
(c) I8 OLKOV — "J3 (confusion between JVD and "ft is frequent; O'KOS
= '«, Jer. 1616, Ez. 2', I Chr. 210; vloi=no, Gen. 45", Ex. 16",
Jos. 1717, 1816, Hos. I7). I9 e/M<£av(us — jiSin (it has been suggested
that ^n or rhl was read ; there may, however, be a corruption in
Greek here. Perhaps a participial form of e/u./ftuvo), i. e., e/A/?avras,
stood in the original Septuagint; cf. I Sam. 56, Greek). I10 cbro-
KO/TOWTCDV — D'jnn (* D'jnn ; cf. II Chr. 3314). I14 o-KA^pd— m* (the Sep-
tuagintist has translated a derivative of "ny, to be hard). 2a irpb
TOV yivsvOai v/xa? (cf. Peshitta, Pr^^zK1? Qiwa) — pn trh D"»D3 (per-
haps the Septuagintist readiprnn K^ D*iD3 and made use of the color-
less yeve'o-00,1 to translate the verb because he misread po) ; av0os —
^D (*p) ; the omission of or from the Septuagint (cf . Peshitta)
may be due to a reading DOT'iDy. 25 irdpoiKoi — "U (Pro GOI, id est,
gente, l Septuagintes ' legerunt * GAR, hoc est, advenam —
Jerome). 214 KopaK«s (cf. Vulgate) — :nn (t^ij?) ; TO Avao-riy/xa avr^s
— my (*nvy, cf. Jer. 158, Hos. II9, * 7320; my, to rowse, is ren-
dered by firavLa-rrjfjiL in Job 178). 31 (TTi^av^ (cf. Peshitta and Syro-
Hexapla)— HKIID (* ^«, cf. 211). 38 4irW^«£vow— D'« (f D'w).
37 €^ 6<t>0a\fji£>v a.vTrjs (cf . Peshitta) — miyD (f n^ryo) ; eToi/xa£ov (cf.
Peshitta) opOpicrov tyOaprai ira(ra ^ eTri^vXXts avrwv — IDOtfn |3K
omVSy ^73 in^ni^n (cf . the Vulgate rendering of the two verbs ;
* orviSSy SD in^nt^n opt^n pn) 39 ets ycveav avr^s — mna (* nTna)^
312 evXaprjOTjo-ovTat, — ion(* 1DH, cf. I7 and Ne. 8"; 0.™ = ! is due to
this reading). 317 fird£u — vw (* rnsr; KCUVW? (cf. Peshitta) — »nn'
(f E^Hn"). 318 TOVS o-wrerpt/x/xevovs — ^JOD ( D"pp ; with erov in the
Greek text, ^3n, cf . Ex. 516) ; 318 ovac— rn (f 'in, cf. 25) ; rts
— n«fe/D (f KET" %n).
42 The Text of Zephaniah.
(2). There are a few readings which suggest a somewhat
greater difference of text than those just considered do.
1* ovojjLara — iKtf (oty, perhaps this is due to the DK? in the context,
or to either Hos. 219 or Zech. 13a). 318 d>s ev ^e/oa (cf. Peshitta)—
Qvja-ovrai — DHtf 3 (* B'0^?rj ; for the sake of variety this was rendered
by a passive, since DT\DJy occurs in the immediate context). 320
(3). The words in the versions for which there is no equiv-
alent in the Hebrew are, as has already been indicated, evident
expansions of an interpretative character. Where the Hebrew
text is fuller than that reflected by a version, explanation is not
so easy. The only word not represented in the Vulgate is mD
(26). Except where it is dependent on the Septuagint (I14, 2a, 2%
310?), the Peshitta text is as full as the Hebrew text with but a
single insignificant exception (212, a suffix and a demonstrative pro-
noun omitted). There are only a few places in which the Septu-
agint has no equivalent for words to be found in the Hebrew text.
Decision as to whether these words convict the Septuagintist of
omission or illustrate the "growth of the Massoretic Text" must
from the nature of the case be largely subjective. From the
time of Luther scholars have remarked a tendency on the part of
the translators of the Septuagint to omit what they did not under-
stand. The translator of Zephaniah must be charged with omis-
sion on this score.
1* Dp D'lDDn . Chemarim occurs in only two other places in the
Old Testament. In one of these the Septuagint transliterates it
(II Kgs. 235), and in the other its translation is the result of a
transparently inappropriate etymology (maji — KM Ka0o>s Tra.pf.TrL-
Kpavav avrdv, Hos. 106). It is thus entirely probable that this (and
the following) word was omitted because it was not understood.
I6. The only argument that can be advanced in regard to
D'lnntfon (2) is stylistic. It seems to make the construction
rather awkward. Cod. Q omits D'jntfjn (2) ; this may be the
Hesychian reading, for Cod. Q is an Egyptian manuscript. This
disagreement in the Septuagint makes it difficult to determine
which word, if either, is additional in the current Hebrew.
2s. A desire to make the construction uniform may account
for the omission of lute and the suffix of infltfn. The mis-
Variants from Consonantal Text. 43
reading of nup, by which the Peshitta was led astray, seems to
have caused the omission of the third uppu. This verse is a good
illustration of how the Septuagint influenced the Peshitta.
310. '¥13 nanny. The meaning of these words is not clear, and
it is therefore more probable that they were omitted by the
Septuagintist than that they were interpolated into the Hebrew
subsequent to the time of translation. If 7rpoo-8e'£o/xai lv Sieo-Tra/o/Ac-
vots fiov, as has already been suggested, was in the original Septu-
agint, it was later omitted under Syriac influence.
may be a corruption for Tr/aoo-ei^o/xai (cf. Ju. 138). ev
fjiov seems to represent 'Jfisp? (cf. II Chr. 1818), which agrees
closely with the reading that the Yulgate seems to suggest (filii
dispersorum meorum — "¥^ \^).
(4). In the three passages that remain to be considered the
Hebrew is difficult, and help from the versions would be very
welcome.
I3, et ruinae impiorum erunt — V*4-*»'V^ |A««1 ]A^oculo — Kal do-^cv-
ricrova-Lv ol cure/Jets — D'yenn n« m^EODrn. The versions all agree
as to D"ych (cf. Peshitta, Num. 16ao), but each one gives it a dif-
ferent grammatical government. They also agree in regard to
the root htiD (cf. Septuagint, Ez. 2120), though not in regard to the
form of it here to be read. The n«, which is difficult, is not
represented in the Septuagint or Yulgate, and the Peshitta seems
to have read it as the first person imperfect of nnx. Jerome
wrote among other things in regard to these words, pro quo Sym.
interpretatus est, et scandala cum impiis, ut subaudiatur, con-
gregabuntur, sive deficient' Quinta autem ed., et infirmitas cum
impiis deficiet. It would seem from this quotation that Jerome
knew of the r\K in the text, and that the Vulgate translation
is supposed to do justice to it. Though it is quite certain that
this troublesome word is not represented in the Septuagint, it is
impossible to determine what the Greek does represent. Perhaps
the first word was read as a perfect with vau conversive; on this
supposition the Hebrew has sometimes been corrected. The
witness of the versions is contradictory and entirely inconclu-
sive.
26. Eteritfuniculus maris requies pastorum, et caulae pecorum
44 The Text of Zephaniah.
7rot/mW KCU /jiavSpa Trpo/Jarw — |l3f niTUl D'JH HID nu O'H
Whether n^n or nrrn was read by the translators, it is impossible
to determine. The Vulgate has omitted mo and read nnj for
nu (requies is the constant translation of nnj). The Peshitta has
interpreted the verse freely in accordance with its reading of mD
(Crete) adopted from the Septuagint. DTI Snn is not represented
in the Septuagint; the order of nu and mj is reversed; mj is
read as a proper name; irot/mW translates D^n (cf. 214 iroipvui=;
D'Yiy; at vofuu TO>V woi/x€va>v=D'jnn 111 JO, Am. la, seems to indicate
that 7rot/AV6o>v must be corrected to Troi/xeVwv) . Perhaps the addi-
tion of TT}S 0a\d<ro"r)s (27) is compensatory for the omission of
DTI S^n (cf. Peshitta). The difficulty of the translators seems to
have focussed in mj, which is a hapax legomenon. This word
is by many regarded as a gloss on nu ; to others both it and DTI ^n
seem superfluous. The impossibility of correcting the Hebrew
by the versions is patent, but Slin nrrn is inexplicable (the noun
is always masculine except in this verse, cf. 27). The wide
divergence of the versions from the current Hebrew and from
each other becomes clear when the various texts are placed side
by side in translation :
(a) Revised Version — And the sea-coast shall be pastures, with
cottages (caves; others, wells) for shepherds and folds for flocks.
(b) Vulgate — And the sea-coast shall be a place of rest (cf.
Verg. A. Ill, 393) for shepherds, and a fold for sheep:
(c) Peshitta — And the sea-coast shall be a dwelling place, and
Crete a pasture for flocks of sheep :
(d) Septuagint — And Crete shall be a pasture for flocks, and a
fold for cattle.
28. siccitas spinarum et acervi salis — r^l® ,— *oi-»^£J & S n tiZ|?
.^quMn \Sr— Aa/Aao-Kos cKAeAei/AjueV?; a>? ^t/xwna dAds— fl^D mDDl SlIH pK^DD.
Jerome read p.Eto, and acerviis dependent on Olivia (Siccitas, quod
Hebraeice MAMASAC; . . . MEM si mutetur et DALETH
accipiatur, easdem litteras habet quas et Damascus ; . . . 0i//,<uviav,
id est, acervum). The Peshitta seems to have read m^D (Job
304), mallow. Snn (Syriac, IV*; cf. Prov. 2431, Lee, li-^~) was
in contrast with mSn, which grows wild, interpreted as cultivated
grasses. n"OD was read as a passive form of n"O and translated
as always by r^. A parallelism was produced by giving the
Conclusion. 45
remaining word a corresponding meaning. The relative and suf-
fixes, as well as the conjunction and copula, of the next verse are
interpretative additions. The Syriac is thus to be rendered:
because their crop has been destroyed, and their wild grass has
perished. The origin of Aa/xao-Kos is explained by Jerome. e/cAc-
Xufjt,fj,tvri shows that Sin was read for Sin. 0i/Awvwx. shows that
n"OD was derived from jvo in a sense preserved in the Aramaic
('"O, UH>) and the Assyrian (karu). oXos must, as has already been
indicated, be read for dAon/os. While witnessing to the orginality
of the current Hebrew, the versions give absolutely no help in its
interpretation.
OHAPTEE VI.
CONCLUSION.
Everything in the versions that seemed to have a bearing on
the criticism of the text has now been presented with as much
fulness as it seemed to warrant. The nature of the material con-
sidered makes differences of opinion in regard to its proper dis-
tribution inevitable, but the necessity for some such scheme of
classification as has been adopted will hardly be denied. The
departures of the Vulgate from the Massoretic tradition which
have been noted have no special merit, and of the readings in
which it bears positive witness to a difference between its
"Urtext" and the present Hebrew not one is worthy of con-
sideration. In every case its witness to the text on which it is
based (cf. I14- 2"), or the witness of that text itself (cf. S'^is
unreliable. The Peshitta, when it is independent of the Septua-
gint, disagrees with the Massoretic tradition very infrequently,
and the few variants that it offers are no more worthy of accept-
ance than are those of the Vulgate. So far as it can be con-
trolled, the testimony of these two versions is in favor of the
accurate transmission of the Hebrew from the time of their
origin. This conclusion would perhaps need some revision, if
the numerous non sequiturs due to the process of translation
could be eliminated. To possess the manuscript or manuscripts
used by the translators would therefore be of considerable advan-
tage to Textual Criticism.
46 The Text of Zephaniah.
If the recovery of the sources of the Vulgate and the Peshitta
is a thing to be desired, the possession of the source of the Septu-
agint is positively a sine qua non for the full understanding of the
history of the Hebrew text of Zephaniah, for this translation is
but a sorry equivalent for its original. It was not made by one
who had a "genius for translation", for his general inaccuracy
seems to have been even greater than his lack of knowledge,
unless indeed he attempted to cover his ignorance by manipulat-
ing his text. Many of his translations call vividly to mind the
hit or miss achievements of a school-boy whose pensum stands
between him and the play-ground. Luther accused the Septua-
gintists, as a body, of "disdaining to speak the letters, words
and style". To show the justice of this criticism as far as
Zephaniah is concerned, one need only to remove the numerous
faulty or wrong translations and interpretations from the Greek
text; for hardly a verse will then remain intact. A comparison
of the possible with the impossible variants in the consonantal
text that it definitely supports shows that the attitude which
must be maintained toward the Septuagint of Zephaniah is one of
general distrust. It rarely agrees with the Massoretic text,
where that text is difficult ; but the alternates which it suggests
are generally even less acceptable.1 It cannot be appealed to as
an infallible authority on hapax legomena, nor can the Hebrew
lexicon be enriched by the meanings of rare words that it sup-
ports. Since the testimony of the Septuagint as to its source is so
unreliable, its value for Textual Criticism is much less than it
might be in view of the comparative nearness of its " Urtext " to
the autograph. It is especially unfortunate in this case that the
Septuagint does not speak with a more certain voice either in
condemnation or confirmation because of the difficulties which
the Hebrew presents.2 The only general conclusion warranted
by the facts is that the Septuagint offers no conclusive evidence
that the " Lagardian archetype" was not the text on which it
for B^IT (317) has gained wide acceptance, and yet against this possibly
correct reading three positively wrong readings of T or "| must be balanced in this book.
(i»,2«,3»).
2 The difficulties in the Hebrew and in the interpretation of Zephaniah are briefly pre-
sented in Appendix I.
Difficulties in the Hebrew Text. 47
also was based. As far as the possibility of showing the con-
trary by external evidence goes, the present Hebrew text may
well be that of the autograph of Zephaniah,1 for the few parallels
in thought and diction with other parts of the Old Testament to
be found in the book are of no critical value (I6 — Jer. 82; 1" —
Jer. 4811; I13— Am. 5n; I18— Ez. 7lfl; 28— Is. 16', Jer. 48ae-48; 214-1&—
Is. 13, 21-22, 3411, 478-10; 34— Ez. 2228; 310— Is. I18), and the versions
offer not a single reading which absolutely demands acceptance.
APPENDIX I.
THE " DIFFICULTIES" IN THE HEBREW TEXT OF ZEPHANIAH.
The words and phrases included in this list have occasioned a
great deal of discussion. It may be safely affirmed that in regard
to them nothing is certain.
la 'JDK ^DK. The infinitive absolute is from a different root than
the finite verb. (sjDKK, Wellhausen; *]?«', Nowack; cf. * 104",
Mi. 4B).
I9 r»K. The word stands between two nouns (r\K 'n^Eon, Oort).
I5 D\j?3tfan D'mntfon. The juxtaposition of these two participles
is awkward. (Some would omit the former, while others prefer
to delete the latter). Ehrlich (Mikrd Ki Pheschuto, III, p. 456)
suggests that the use of different formulas of swearing is indi-
cated by "a j?3Bfo and "h yzwi ; the former referring to the sn form,
the latter to the ^K form.
I9 |r»2D hy jSin. The Targum seems to connect the words with
the custom of the Philistine worshippers of Dagon, I Sam. I6; cf.
Trumbull, The Threshold Covenant, 2d ed., p. 117. Ehrlich (p.
457) translates: die in denVorzimmern herumscharwenzelen. He
thinks that sycophants are referred to, and that they are com-
pared to dogs leaping up and down at the threshold of their
master.
I14 nnn. This word must be read as a participle (IHDD, Well-
hausen).
1 The protests of Conjectural Criticism and Higher Criticism do not properly fall
within the limits of the present inquiry, but a few remarks which seem not entirely
uncalled for have been added in Appendix II.
48 The Text of Zephaniah.
I14 "11:2:1 rm in rnrr or Sp. The grammatical relation of these
words to each other and to what precedes is obscure. (The con-
jecture of Gratz is rather heroic, 113:0 niir nirr ^p).
117 DnS. The exact meaning of this word is unknown (cf. Job
20").
118 nSmj. nSrVj is the ordinary form.
21 iKhpi itfuhpnn. The meaning of the words is unknown.
•pDJ is also uncertain (the Aramaic *|DD means turn pale).
2a D1D3 with an infinitive occurs only here (in Is. 1714 and 28*
it is used with a noun), and the pleonastic use of «S with this con-
junction is found nowhere else in the Old Testament.
28 The word ^n seems to be feminine in this verse ; in the next
verse it is masculine, rnj is found only in this verse; the usual
form is m*O. niD is a hapax legomenon of doubtful meaning
(Ehrlich, nyi?).
27 It is not clear to whom the suffix of orr1?;? refers (D^n hy,
Wellhausen).
29 p$DD and niDD are hapax legomena, and the meanings usually
given to the words are conjectural.
211 The tense of nil is difficult and its meaning is obscure.
214 nip nrw o ^DU nn p^na intf* Sp? Ehrlich suggests that the
3 of 3in is due to dittography, and he translates the first five
words: es pfeift lustig zum Fenster hinein, zum Loch an den
Pfosten.
31 In HK1D the « is hard to explain.
38 1D1J is by many regarded as a hapax legomenon (cf . Septua-
gint), others take the word as a denominative from DiJ (cf. Nu.
248, Ez. 2324).
34 ni1J3 is a hapax legomenon as to form.
3* 11V3 is a hapax legomenon.
37 "U1 Sj seems to hang in the air. (It has been proposed to
read n^jJD with the Septuagint, to change rn:r to ino% and to
take hy snip£) in the sense of command, Lagarde.)
310 'injj is a hapax legomenon. '•ysna ?
317 "3 a^irv. A direct object for the verb seems necessary
OTO, cf. * 217).
318 There are two roots to which uu may be referred; of these
one means to be grieved, the other, to be removed. The two
Criticism of the Text. 49
translations offered by the Revised Version illustrate the extreme
obscurity of this verse.
319 nx-niyy is unusual (Gratz suggests that n^D be added, cf.
The grammatical governments of unwi is not clear (Noldeke
proposed to delete the final D of D'nDfr and to take Dntfa as its
object.
APPENDIX II.
THE CONJECTURAL TEXTUAL CRITICISM AND HIGHER CRITICISM
OF THE TEXT OF ZEPHANIAH.
§ I. No one can say what may or may not happen to a text
transmitted in manuscript, and therefore not even the wildest
conjecture can be dismissed as impossible; but it is equally true,
even though the contrary seems to be implied in the confident
assertions of some, that the fact that Zephaniah may have expressed
a thought in a certain form or written a sentence in a certain
way does not actually prove that he did so write or express it.
The relative plausibility of the readings which it has been pro-
posed to substitute for those in the current Hebrew can be more
or less accurately gauged. In Appendix I the conjectures that
have something positive to recommend them have already been
noted. A free reconstruction of the text obtained by raising
poetical measure1 or the demands of a fantastic theory3 into a
canon of Textual Criticism has hardly more validity than have
the results of an entirely arbitrary change, transposition and
recombination of letters.3 The changes which show only what
1 Much study has been devoted to Hebrew poetry in the last two decades. Miiller
(Die Propheten in Hirer ursprunglichen Form; Strophenbau und Responsion),
Konig (Stilistik, Rhetorik, Poetik) and Sievers (Studien zur Hebraischen Metrik)
have contributed largely to the recent popularity of this subject. The latest attempt to
recast Zephaniah in poetical form was contributed by Fagnani to the Harper Memo-
rial Volumes (1908).
a Cheyne (Critica JBiblia, in loc.) has changed 2* to read: D'BO HIIT1?
DTJp I1? Uni. He has the following note in support of one of his changes:
is required as a parallel to lS though represented only by } in IBhpl.
' Bachmann(^wr Textkritik des Propheten Zephanja, S.K ; 1894) has emended
to read : m^D .... HD33 vh 'UH-
50 The Text of Zephaniah.
the critic thinks Zephaniah ought to have said can with safety be
dismissed from serious consideration.1
§ II. This free Conjectual Criticism of the text gives much
support to and gains much help from the Higher Criticism, which
dissects an ancient document according to subjective standards
of style and thought-cogency. The integrity of Zephaniah
has often been denied. The following summary condensed from
the article Zephaniah by J. A. Selbie in Hastings' Dictionary of
the J3ible needs very little comment.2 Keunen was inclined to
regard 31*-90 as post-exilic on account of differences both in tone
and situation from the rest of the prophecy. Stade denied to
Zephaniah 21-8-11 and the whole of chapter 3. Wellhausen (com-
pare Nowack) suspected 22-3, rejected 28"11 and treated chapter 3
as a later supplement added in two stages (1-7 and 8-20). Budde
(followed by Cornill, Einleitung, 3d edition) admitted 21'1,
31"6'7'8'6'11"18 as in harmony with Zephaniah's situation; he rejected
24"16 mainly because Israel appears as the victim, not as the per-
petrator of wrong ; he excluded 39'10 as breaking the connection
between 3" and 3" ; he declared 314"ao to be a later lyrical epilogue.
Schwally allowed to Zephaniah chapter 1, 213'16 and perhaps 21'4,
holding 26"1* to be exilic and chapter 3 post-exilic, though 3'"T
may be Zephaniah's. G. A. Smith denied to Zephaniah 28"11,
39'10 and 314"30. Driver remarked that 211 seemed to be somewhat
out of place and that 314"20 is somewhat doubtful, though the
' question remains whether it is sufficiently clear that the imagina-
tive picture was beyond the power of Zephaniah to construct.'
Davidson defended the genuineness of chapter 2 as a whole, but
considered it quite possible that it had been expanded in various
places; he allowed that 310 should possibly be omitted, but other-
wise 31"13 appeared to him to be genuine, although they might
suggest that the passage was later than chapter 1 ; in 314"20 he
recognized quite a different situation from the rest of the book.
Konig would apparently accept the whole of the book except the
title which refers the prophecy to the days of Josiah.
This paragraph is an unintended, though on that account no
less positive, refutation of the method by which such conflicting
1 D^TJ? for Dmy and v^OY for •niBP (2' 4) are of this kind.
2 The article Zephaniah in the Encyclopaedia Bibllca contains a similar summary by
Driver.
Criticism of the Text. 51
results are achieved. One can hardly repress the thought that a
great deal of these " assured results" is due to the endeavor of
each latest critic to justify his rediscussion of the subject by
presenting something different from that which his predecessors
have said. It would seem from this paragraph that the book in
its present form is but a sorry piece of patchwork ; and yet the
writer of the article Zephaniah in Smithes Dictionary of the Bible
expressed the opinion that "the chief characteristics of this book
are the unity and harmony of the composition, the grace, energy
and dignity of its style, and the rapid and effective alternations
of threats and promises." The critics themselves being wit-
nesses, there is not a single verse which Zephaniah could not
have written, and therefore one who is not anxious to father any-
thing new can defend the integrity of the book by choosing his
"authorities" with discrimination. The writer is free to con-
fess that he is interested in the whole text, which may be Zepha-
niah's Zephaniah, rather than in that part of it which in the
opinion of each critic a Zephaniah, who was on the plane of
religious evolution which he thinks his age had attained, who
possessed the mentality with which he is pleased to endow him, and
who wrote as he himself would have written under similar cir-
cumstances, could or ought to have produced. The arguments
and counter-arguments advanced for and against the genuineness
of the many verses discussed are all singularly pointless and are
invalid to overthrow the presumption established in favor of the
integrity of the book by the mere fact that some one gave it its
present form ; for to that man's mind the book was a unit and
the ease with which critics brush aside the arguments of critics
demonstrates that an unbiased Higher Criticism can not show
that the man in question was not the Zephaniah to whom the
book has so long been attributed. Arguments based on the style
of a writer known only through his works are notably precarious,
even though he has left extensive literary remains. The psycho-
logical law of the Association of Ideas utterly condemns all
argumentation based on thought development alone, for it shows
that no combination or contrast of ideas — even abrupt change from
threat to promise — is impossible. Zephaniah has left at most
fifty-three verses ; it is surely absurd to build up one's conception
52 The Text of Zephaniah.
of the man out of the first eighteen that are assumed to be his,
and to use the conception of his style and capacities thus gained
as a standard to determine which of the remaining verses he
could and which he could not have written. Judged by present
standards, strong arguments can be advanced to show that 3''5b
originally stood between the two halves of I13:
(a). In the present text it is difficult to determine where the
arraignment of Nineveh ends and that of Jerusalem begins. The
Peshitta has actually referred 31 to Nineveh, and the present
chapter division of the Septuagint shows that 215 was referred to
Jerusalem by its author.
(b). The nexus between the second and third clauses of 36 does
not seem to be very close, but 3Bc in that it would emphasize the
absolute hopelessness of Nineveh's condition would be an admir-
able conclusion to 215.
(c). 31 continues in the style of I11 and 32"5b contain the full
charge on which the punishment threatened in I12b is based.
The ipsi dixerunt of the critics have no greater objective
validity than those for this transposition have. A detailed dis-
cussion of all the points involved in this seemingly endless dis-
cussion would lead far into the theory of Israel's religious
development, whose exigencies seem to demand such excisions
(23-11, 38"11) as are not based on purely subjective considerations,
and therefore the reader who seeks for arguments of this kind to
support his belief in the integrity of the book must be left to
find them in the works of such champions as each verse or verse-
group has found.1
i The present tendency to find wholesale interpolations in the Prophets has been dis-
cussed by Vos (The Eighth Century Prophets, Presbyterian and Reformed Review,
1898).
x VITA.
The writer was born in Meedhuizen, Province of Groningen, Holland, Janu-
ary 25, 1883. He received his primary education in the Public Schools of
Chicago, 111., and was graduated from Hope College, Holland, Mich., with
the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1903. He attended the sessions of the
Princeton Theological Seminary during the years 1903-1907, receiving the
Degree of Bachelor of Divinity in 1907. He was the Newberry Scholar of the
Board of Education of the Presbyterian Church from 1904 to 1907. From
1907 to 1909 he was a student in Columbia University, one year as a Fellow
in Semitic languages. While in Columbia University he attended Old Testa-
ment lectures in Union Theological Seminary, New York.